This morning I spoke to my third high school English class, and I came to realize something: Juniors rule. And I'll tell you why.
Freshmen aren't quite sure where to fit in, and sophomores are too busy reminding themselves and the freshmen that they are no longer freshmen. Seniors, on the other end of the spectrum, are too preoccupied with the impending future. Which means: the world of high school belongs to the Junior.
The last two days were fun. It's not often that I get into a high school, and the only real difference between speaking to high school and college students is the presence of a teacher. High school students, and I could be wrong, are a little more timid because of that. Plus, you're too close to home, anything you do you can just feel your parents on either shoulders, adorned with either wings or a pitchfork.
That's deep.
For me, the junior year of high school was when I started to get comfortable with everything. I started cracking jokes in class, and began to fancy myself a funnyman of sorts. An inner dialogue, way below the surface, began about HIV, and I started to feel fortunate that I wasn't as stressed out as a lot of other students at school. I didn't have to be preoccupied with the pressures of the future, which dominates our culture. And I was cool with that.
Of course, during the second semester of my senior year, I kind of panicked. Even with my "free pass" with HIV, I started to wonder what the hell I was going to do. I fell in with my new best friend, Josh, and his buddies. All of whom were about to embark on their Junior years after the summer.
And that summer, I traded in my diploma for honorary status as a Junior. Why? Because Juniors rule.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
I remeber my junior year, amazing, and i work with teenagers myself, I think their a little easier to get through to. But i find its easier when you have web presence and links ( http://www.thenewsroom.com/details/352640/Health )
You blogged about us, so I figured it only civil of me to do the same for you (http://www.540mbps.com/2007/06/02/last-day-of-school/).
By the way, I'm involved with those, "awkward segues between pieces" on the morning announcements. Thanks. :)
I just finished my junior year! It was a nice time except several people actually thought that I was a sophmore. = [ I read your book about two months ago in my junior english class not quite the same experience but better then reading "Harry Potter" books and waiting for my head to explode.