It’s the end of the year, and the seniors are preparing to embark upon the next step in their lives. Graduation is a time of reminiscence and reflection, and probably some regret. However, the juniors have not yet gotten to this stage in the process. They are just ready to get out.

For the most part, by the end of junior year, the difficult classes of high school have been conquered and the thrilling prospect of college overshadows the idea of another year before reaching adulthood.

“Up until now I’ve done so much work,” said junior Emily Fallick, “and now I’m just done.”

 After almost eleven years of endless work and pressure, it seems that many juniors have reached the ends of their ropes. It’s not as if they are unaware that colleges focus on grades achieved during junior year—it is simply the fact that they are worn out.

“The thought of going through another college-focused year is incredibly stressful,” said junior Grace Sheed.

Fallick and Sheed, who are AP and honor roll students, have undoubtedly worked very hard throughout their high school careers and both have the grades to prove it. But when they come home after tedious days filled with work and stress, their motivation wanes.

“When I get home it has become habit to get on the computer and check what’s going on,” said Fallick.

Fallick gets wrapped up in social-networking and almost forgets about the piles of work that await her. While studying for her five APs, Fallick found herself starting and stopping, distracted by something or other and lacking the drive to keep working.

AP test week also proves to be onerous.

“Once the APs were over, I was done learning,” said junior Austin Gabala.

Now some may argue that this is simply end-of-the-year-itis, something that all students experience no matter their grade or age. For juniors, the end is so close yet so far away.

“We’re done with the hard work, but we’re still not done with our high school careers,” said Fallick, who envies the senior graduates and eagerly anticipates the time when she will be graduating and will have the comfort of knowing where she will attend college.

Sheed agrees.

“I’ll be able to relax once I know where I’m attending college,” she said. “But until then, it will be impossible to think about anything else.”

For many, the looming prospect of college applications, rejections, and decision-making is frightening, and this anxiety further prompts the desire to finish high school. For the time being however, juniors simply have to make the best of their final year as kids.