From the beginning of time, or at least the beginning of high school, the rumor mill has circulated the idea that junior year is the hardest year. As students make it into upper level classes and are presented with more responsibilities in their extracurricular activities, they are faced with the challenge of maintaining a balance between work and play.

“This year is the hardest year,”junior Nick Foulon said. “It’s real. It’s your first opportunity to take all the hardest classes. Plus this is the year where you start to have higher standings in your clubs, which requires you to do more work for them. And you’ve got to devote time to both: to your homework and to your clubs and other organizations.”

Foulon would know a thing or two about having a busy schedule. An active member of band, debate, mentors, Student Council, the Environmental Club and the Diversity Club, he also takes three AP classes and spends four or more hours on homework each night. He isn’t the only junior with an ambitious schedule.

“It’s a pretty demanding schedule,”junior Shari Gaynes said.“But I don’t regret it. I find academically challenging classes to be among my favorites because there’s a lot of passion and drive from the students as well as the teachers.”

Just like Foulon, Gaynes is currently taking three AP classes but will be taking a fourth during second semester when she adds AP Psychology to her schedule. Additionally, she has been heavily involved in theatre since her freshman year, is a mentor, member of the Gay Straight Alliance and spends each Saturday working at Clock Tower Bakery. With her busy schedule, Gaynes finds that she doesn’t often have time off.

“Yeah, free time is pretty scarce, because there’s always a test that could be studied for or assignments that could be done ahead of time,” Gaynes said. “Friday nights and Sundays are when I have the most time – but I have to make sure there’s time for homework to be completed. I try to use some of that time to sleep for as long as possible, but I make time for friends because I’ve got to have a little fun, right?”

With such busy schedules, both feel pressure to do exemplary work.

“Kids will kind of put themselves under pressure to do these activities and take the higher classes because they naturally want to do well,” Foulon said. “They naturally want to get into a good college.”

Unfortunately, there are some negative repercussions that come from being too stressed for too long.

“I am very stressed over just having enough time to not only get my work done, but to do it in a quality way as well,”Gaynes said.“That can be frustrating too, because I want to produce high-quality work in and for school, but I should also, like, actually sleep sometimes. My sleep cycle is so out of whack, it’s ridiculous. It’s hard to avoid that though, because I don’t want work to go undone.”

For the time being, homework and extracurricular activities are just a way of life, but there has to be a way to power through when the school year gets rough. The first way to do this is to commit yourself to whatever you are passionate about.

“I think that all it takes for anyone to get through is passion and devotion,”Gaynes said. “I’m not saying that this is relevant to every junior, but this is my personal take on the matter.”

It is also important that parents realize that expectations are different from when they were in school.

“From what my father has told me,” said Foulon. “It seems like [high school] was easier in the past and it wasn’t required of kids to do so much.”

By opening up this dialogue, it helps everyone understand the rigorous, stress filled year that lies ahead as students begin to apply to colleges and attempt to earn scholarships.

“Students today are more stressed than ever before.”Gaynes said. “Colleges today are much more competitive to get into, which in turn pushes students to live up to the standards of certain colleges. My father attended college at Duke University, and he told me that if he were in high school today with the academic achievement he considered to be of a high level back then, he wouldn’t be able to be admitted into the school because it’s so much harder.”

Other than that, it is vital for students not to be intimidated to challenge themselves in school, especially because it can lead to great opportunities.

“Don’t be scared of the AP classes,”Gaynes said. “If you’re not taking advantage of the great courses our school has to offer, then you’re doing it wrong. AP classes are a great way to prepare for college, and you can even get college credit from them.”

Most importantly, it is imperative that you enjoy what you’re doing, otherwise the year will be torture.

“Junior year has been my most fun year so far,”Foulon said. “I’m kind of a workaholic, so I like this and it’s been the most enjoyable year for me.”