Everyone says “junior year is your hardest year,” and you know what? Everyone is right. This is because junior year does not only include taking classes and trying to get good grades. Junior year also includes: looking for internships, building your resume, fulfilling academic requirements, taking 400 level classes, acing them (in some cases), getting a job and in my particular case, transitioning to the University Park campus while also planning a study abroad program.

I feel like something about the system does not let freshmen and sophomores, especially at the commonwealth campuses, know about the resources available to them. When I look back at my last two years at Penn State, I realize I was eligible to have applied for the Honors College earlier, I did not know I could study abroad, and the list goes on. I am aware that the University Park campus provides many opportunities for its students. But, it would have been great to have been aware of them beforehand. As a result, I found myself rushing to complete study abroad applications while trying to balance my academic and extra-curricular workload.

After running around like a headless chicken in January to complete my application, I finally received word that I was accepted into Oxford University to study abroad. As happy as I am about this now, I cannot so quickly forget how much easier things would have been had I known about these resources earlier. Perhaps I could have begun planning for this experience in my freshman year at the commonwealth campus I attended. Following the acceptance you would think everything has been fine and dandy, rainbows and ponies, but think again. There has been paper work up to my neck as I try to apply for scholarships, secure more letters of recommendation, etc. In addition to that, I continue to be very active in the organizations I am involved with on campus. I am also beginning to think about preparing for and taking my LSATs, finding a summer internship (which I am still working on), and shutting an eyelid for at least an hour a night. I am taking four Political Science classes, three of which are 400 level, one writing intensive by academic standards, another simply writing intensive by my standards (scholarly essays due weekly). And let’s not forget the unexpected: my wisdom teeth chose to come in recently, so I’ll need to be taking those out soon and that will keep me off my feet for a bit. (As if I wasn’t short on time as it was).

I have elaborated on this series of time-consuming and stressful issues going on in my life not as a means of scaring any freshmen or sophomores reading this, or to just vent online, but I want to emphasize the importance of planning ahead, asking questions and taking advantage of your resources. I am lucky that my credits allow me to study abroad next semester, but you cannot base your career on luck. I find it very necessary to talk to professors and staff around campus about the opportunities PSU has to offer. There are counselors, advisers and a number of people in the Career Services building to help plan your future. There are even more resources available in the Student Affairs office in the HUB to help you get involved, see if you qualify for scholarships, etc. I have heard seniors say they wish they had begun thinking of applying to Law School in their junior year. I cannot imagine how rushed they must feel trying to figure everything out in their senior year and I would not want to be in their shoes.

Junior year can be smooth-sailing if you either a.) plan ahead or b.) leave everything for your senior year. My suggestion would obviously be the former. Though after reading the first two paragraphs of this blog entry it may seem like I am taking on too much this year (and I just may be!) I would rather deal with these issues sooner than later. I would rather take my 400-levels now and find a balance between all my other obligations. So to my fellow juniors going through what I am going through: “This too shall pass.” And to my dear freshmen and sophomores: Plan ahead!  And finally to my noble seniors: Good luck to you in everything you do. You are almost at the finish line!