<p>Work hard, stay focused, pay attention in class, and wait to get senioritis until senior year.</p>
<p>It’s important to have fun and do some relaxing things, too - and even better if these are your ECs - so as to prevent yourself from burning out too early or being miserable your entire junior year.</p>
<p>It’s also important to learn how to forsake sleep in the name of having a bit of free time or getting a better grade on that assignment that’s due in the morning. I spent my second semester junior year on the edge of becoming a zombie, as I was averaging about 4 hours of sleep per night and working like a maniac for school and ECs, but it paid off.</p>
<p>Remember, though, that it’s important not to forget to have fun and to enjoy yourself. Doing ECs you care about and enjoy will make your busy schedule more bearable (or even enjoyable). Ultimately, throwing a year of your life away to misery in a desperate attempt to get into a better school just isn’t worth it. Don’t waste your junior year, but don’t go so crazy playing the admissions game that you forget to live. Life’s short. You need to make the most of it while it’s still around.</p>