Junior Year Troubles by Mikah

Junior Year Troubles by Mikah - May 2022 Scholarship Essay

Entering junior year of high school, the statement of it being the hardest year was an understatement. In my second semester of 11th grade, my counselor notified me that I was eligible to graduate that upcoming May. As most would, I gladly accepted the offer. Little did I know this was a recipe for loads of stress and anxiety.

Squeezing a year's worth of college preparation into less than five months, on top of my rigorous classes was a huge challenge. I now had to juggle academics, extracurriculars, college applications, tours and scholarships. This left me little to no free time to do things that were normal for most high school seniors, such as prom and even a portrait in the senior section of the yearbook.

In order to keep myself from falling into the sense of regret that was calling my name, my optimistic attitude took me a long way. I made sure to make the best of my semester, even with the heaviness of my tasks. With focus and time management, I was able to maintain all A's and not get too overwhelmed since my assignments didn't build up. Also, I was able to form relationships with college students that were willing to help me with my application process. Overall, although I wish I could have enjoyed the last year of my high school career a little bit more, I am very proud of myself for getting it done.