We know the years in college change and all, so I was wondering, do you think it is accurate to say that a junior and freshman in college are different life stages?
It sounds like a cop-out, but it totally depends on the kid/adult in question. Some people never get past the 17 year old without a parent watching, and some freshmen are ready for medical school. For most people however, freshman year is a lot about learning who you are, trying things out and stretching your boundaries a little. By junior year you should have an idea if you’re a partyer or not, how hard you’re going to work on your studies, what your major is, if you’re liberal or conservative, gay or straight, religious, never returning to your home town, whatever. So in most cases Yes, even if they aren’t all the way there, they should at least be in different places.
But it sounds like you have more of an agenda than that? Are you in some sort of Freshmen Shouldn’t Date Juniors discussion? Because that’s all going to rest on the maturity of the individuals involved.
Just saw your post in the other thread: if you’re really concerned about if you’ve grown enough in three years (whatever that might mean) then it may help to talk to someone who has known you over that time to hear what they’ve seen. I’m sure you’ve changed even if it’s not in some measurable way like height or test scores. We’re often our worst critics because we see things others can’t, but we often have blind spots that would astound the rest of the world, so be sure to check your self-perceptions against others to stay grounded. Letting that build up can lead to anxiety that can be hard to manage, so if you haven’t got a friend suitable for this sort of discussion go talk to a counselor at school. They encounter this all the time and can help you see progress, set goals and get a fresh perspective for senior year.