From being excited one year, lazy the next, overwhelmed the third, and nostalgic the last, students go through a large range of emotions during their high school careers. While not all of us experience this rollercoaster of emotions, most students are familiar with most of these feelings.
The emotions that can be generalized in each year of high school have a specific name associated with them. Some of these names are well known, while others are simply phrases students made up for their grades.
Freshman might have what some call “Freshman Freak-Outs.” High school is a big adjustment from middle school and incoming freshmen often become overachievers who try to join everything, including multiple clubs and activities. While you should absolutely join the activities and clubs that you would like to, the freak-outs that influence this nickname are caused by taking on too much work and responsibilities. You can end up scrambling to get all your work done, which can lead to late nights, early mornings, and a whole bunch of exhaustion.
As a sophomore, and despite laughing at the ridiculous nickname, I find it very relatable. In only the second year of high school, the nickname for the emotions that 10th-graders go through is the “Sophomore Slums.” To rationalize this nickname, I view it as a product of the overachieving that 10th graders did when they were freshmen. Sophomores, in order to keep their pattern of a whole bunch of activities as well as schoolwork, continue what is essentially tiring themselves out. While it is not apparent to everyone, many sophomores can be heard claiming that they want a break and a weekend during every day of the school week, especially Mondays.
Next up, “Jaded Juniors.” While this name does seem a bit (ironically) jaded, it does have some truth to it. Maybe the juniors had some senior friends who graduated, or maybe their future slapped them in the face with SATs, ACTs, APs, and college visits. For those who are undecided, they have to, in simple terms, decide. For those who have a very set goal in mind, they have to find ways to continue working towards that goal. Additionally, this year often brings a new commitment, jobs. Trying to achieve their work hours while maintaining their activities and schoolwork can be overwhelming and might cause the juniors to be misconstrued as jaded.
Lastly, the infamous title of “Senioritis.” The name is oddly reminiscent of a disease, which is actually part of the meaning. Seniors, and students in other grades, refer to Senioritis whenever they experience the heavy feelings that come with leaving high school. This could be a longing to stay, a sense that you’ll miss high school, emotional remembrances, or a strong desire to leave. While many students will also say they felt they had Senioritis while they were sophomores or juniors due to how many of their friends were in the grades above, this condition mostly applies to seniors because they are the ones who will soon be leaving the school. Seniors also have additional responsibilities that can inspire the feelings of laziness included in Senioritis, such as college and scholarship applications as well as graduation and the last push to keep their GPAs high. Luckily, this ailment does eventually go away, as seniors graduate and finish off their high school career.
The culmination of the high school experience can, in theory, be summed up by those four nicknames. In the first year, we have “Freshman Freak-Outs,” then, we get into the “Sophomore Slums.” By the third year, we are “Jaded Juniors,” and in our fourth and final year of high school, we fall victim to “Senioritis.”
However, the high school experience can not be described in just a few words. It is all the activities, clubs, and classes you choose, as well as the friends you make during the four-year journey. In high school, we pave the way for the rest of our lives and get ready to dedicate ourselves to our careers. So, feel the feelings you need to feel, and remember to enjoy the rollercoaster of emotions that these four years give you.
