While everyone looks forward to their senior year of high school and all of its glories, like early release and graduation, some can debate that the junior year of high school is the pinnacle of your four years. Many would say you begin to find your way and who you want to be in college further down the road in your junior year. Knowing this, junior year can be very stressful and/or enjoyable at times.

Here are the top three best and worst things about being a junior:

Fantastic:

1) Getting your Driver’s License

It is the ultimate symbol of freedom to a high school student. Obtaining your driver’s license is major step in growing up. In a way, it gives gives a kid the freedom that they have desperately been looking for years.

2) Becoming an Upperclassman

There is a certain pride that a high school student takes in being an upperclassman.

3) Varsity Sports:

While you might able to play varsity sports in previous years, junior year is where most make the leap to the varsity sports. It can be intimidating, but for the most part, it is rewarding because you receive more attention from your peers at your school and you get your varsity letter. Plus, you get to really find out if you are able to move on and play at the collegiate level.

Horrible:

3) AP Classes:

While many may take AP classes other years it seems that junior year is the big one for taking them. They include some of the most challenging classes in the world including AP Physics, AP Spanish/French and APUSH.

2) SATs:

The thing that kids are lectured on from minute one when they reach high school. The teachers say they are preparing you for the test that will determine where you go in life. While that may stretch the truth, the test itself is very important and stressful and this is the year you are taking it.

1) Paying for Gas/ Insurance for Cars:

Having car and driving on our own for the first time may feel like a blast at first, but when reality sets in you realize how expensive a car costs – it ends up being a killer. This is especially true considering how often you end up driving. The gas toll can put a real whole in your wallet.

Even though junior year is filled with lots of stress and hardships, ultimately it is very rewarding and can be lots of fun and very enjoyable. While you’re in your junior year it may seem like the hard times outweigh the easy, if you look back at it in the future many believe that your junior year is the most rewarding.