<p>Anyone have tips for surviving junior year and getting all the homework done? I am super stressed and kind of drowning already...</p>
<p>Also I am taking these AP classes: Calc BC, Lit and Comp, Physics, Gov, and Psychology. Comment if you are currently or have taken these courses.</p>
<p>Hey Sayonaraa! I know the beginning of junior year can be daunting it does certainly look like you are tackling a very heavy course load. I think it’s fantastic that you took the initiative to take these hard classes, and things like this look really good when you are applying to colleges. However, it your stress is seemingly taking over your life, I think you should maybe take out an AP that you don’t think will help you the most down the line. In my junior year, I took three AP’s (Calc AB, Lit and Comp, and United States History). Calc AB was really fun for me because I enjoyed the material and the teacher was great. Lit and comp was very boring for me but worth the easy A. (IK its bad…) I also had other Honors classes like Physics or Language. One thing that I did throughout the year was learn to not procrastinate. I don’t know about you, but sometimes it’s quite hard to peel your eyes off that computer screen when the new episode you missed last night came out. Whenever I got straight home from school or after school activities, I would immediately start my homework no matter what I wanted to do. Then I found that once the homework got rolling, it was much easier to manage. For bigger projects I would have a calender to fill in when I had to work on it. This is sadly also the year you might be taking SAT, ACT, or SAT II’s. Just make sure you keep up with registration deadlines and borrow/buy some review books. Don’t try to tackle 5 hours of SAT prep on a Saturday morning. Remember, when you start early, you can do a little each day (maybe half an hour to one hour for SAT or ACT) and it will make a long term difference. Since you’re also taking AP’s, you can try SAT II’s in May or in June which is also when AP’s wrap up. Some of my AP material coincided with my SAT II material which worked in my favor in terms of studying. Sometimes I would use incentives for finishing all of my work like watching the episode or good food. I also found friends so beneficial throughout the year. You’re not going through these classes alone, and if you don’t have immediate friends in the class, you should try to develop some friendships because you can compare answers and teach each other. I also started an exercising habit. If you’re super stressed, you can try biking or jogging around outside for just 10 minutes a day. It was not only good for your body (especially those late nights studying), but it would also help me clear my mind. Don’t worry, I see how you’re very stressed right now but you will make it through. </p>
<p>You’re making me scared of starting Junior year…</p>
<p>You can always drop out of courses or switch to a lower level. There is no shame in doing so and you shouldn’t let pride get in the way. In my third day of senior year, I realized that AP Physics B wasn’t for me. I switched into APES and Honors Physics, best decision of my life. As other students struggled in that class, I knew I would have struggled more, and I took classes more aligned with my interests and ones that would leave me with less stress in the long run</p>
<p>Just remember not to stress. Learn how to manage your time as well. Realize that you need to take everything step by step in order to succeed this year. With every assignment you get, just focus and tell yourself it is not that hard. When you get to class, focus. Just focus. And just because everyone else is taking a million AP tests and SAT/ACT exams, it does not mean you have to follow ther schedules. Realize that the workload and stress associated with these courses is what YOU make of it. Try to get as much work done as possible when at school. That is what helped me out a lot. Teachers also love to complicate things and overrate them in the beginning of the year. So do not worry. Learn to relax and you will be fine. Look at the tests that you need to take and study for them for 30-60 min per day. You must take things step by step. Junior year is just like any other year, but everyone around you is stressing out because someone decided to not only slander 11th grade, but constantly spread around the idea that it is this scary thing. And you know, it really isn’t. It’s just the year when class rankings change and people actually realize that they will have to apply to college next year. Don’t sweat it way too much.</p>
<p>I took AP Calc BC, Lit, and Physics C junior year and overall, found it not too bad (Physics C was the hardest among them), and had plenty of time for extracurriculars and other activities.</p>
<p>Time management is definitely key. If you have a study hour or similar break during school, you can use it to get finished on homework.</p>
<p>Also if you find yourself spending 2-3 hours a night on homework in a class, ask yourself, “Do I really understand the material?” I didn’t really realize this until taking harder math/science classes in college, such as abstract algebra. You shouldn’t be expected to devote 3 hours per night on one class if you budget your time well.</p>
<p>Junior year can be tough. It is all about time management and study skills. Also try not to stress so much. It only inhibits learning and thinking. Try not to procrastinate on school work. Spread your work out and take study breaks. Ask your teachers questions and try to actually learn the material instead of just memorizing for a test. The classes you are taking will be challenging. It is only first week of school and have yet to get used to getting back to work. Within a couple of days, you will adapt and feel more at ease with your classes. Also, do not put off your SAT and ACT tests for school work. While school may be important, you can always improve your grades. The SAT and ACT are kind of permanent and it helps to get a good score on your first try so you don’t have to worry about it. These test scores matter when it comes to college admissions. Also try to do something fun during the year. You will have a busy schedule but you should make time for something fun and relaxing. It will make the year less stressful. Good luck</p>
<p>Yeah, what other people are saying us completely true. You need to learn how to manage your time. It seems complicated, but it is not. What you need to do is take advantage of the time you have. For example, if you’re in one of your difficult classes and the teacher ends the lesson early, immediately start your assignment. You need to set aside time and stick to it. You need to remain motivated as well. Also, if you can , set aside some time this weekend to really look at your most difficult classes and where you are lacking in skill. Take a few moments to review the difficult concepts and think of which times during the day that you work best . If you work best from 7-8 pm ( if you aren’t scheduled to do some EC) and Calc is your hardest class, make yourself a cup of tea (or whatever you like) and do your Calc with. Remain calm because worrying will do nothing and you want to use this time as best you can. Also mentally repeat to yourself that you can do this. Find strategies that work for you in terms if studying. Many fellow students don’t succeed because they don’t know what works for them. How are you supposed to succeed when you haven’t the slightest idea of what you are doing? You can also breeze through you easy hw during lunch or right after school and save the difficult stuff for later. Just focus. Focus , focus , focus!! Pay attention to what you’re doing at the moment so that you get what is going on and you’re actually learning. Best of luck. We CC’ers must stick together and root for each other! :)</p>