As I stepped through the doors for my first day of school this year, the realization suddenly swept over me: I was a JUNIOR. It seemed incredible to me. I remembered being a little girl, looking up at the juniors at my school, and thinking, "When I'm a junior, just think how grown up I'll be."
But as I prepared to become a junior myself, I couldn't imagine anyone looking at me in awe. I just didn't feel old enough. I knew that in less than two years I would be out in the world, and it seemed amazing to me that in just a little while I would be on my own, all by myself.
Along with these realizations, came another: junior year would be the most important of my scholastic career. Everywhere I went, I was reminded that this was the year that I had to work hard, get ready, put my nose to the grindstone. In the first few weeks of school, I didn't want to think about it. Preparing for college nowadays is such a momentous, all-encompassing act, and I just didn't want to accept that pretty soon, that would be my life. I still feel the same way a bit, but it isn't so overwhelming anymore. Now, I can at least bear to hear discussions about college, scholarships and everything that comes with it - but I still won't bring it up myself.
