Junior year is, at least at Enloe, known for being hell. Like, seriously, genuinely, an evil year for any number of reasons. It’s when most students are taking their highest volume of difficult classes and APs at once, taking and retaking the SAT and ACT, trying to secure leadership positions and extracurricular activities for their college resumes, and whatever it is that IB students get up to.

Despite this, I can attest to the fact that junior year is 100%, absolutely, totally, survivable. And it is even possible to be not completely miserable whilst doing it! As someone who was taking a (mere) four APs, and had maybe 4 weeks where they weren’t suffering from some sort of physical malady, ailment, or injury (generous estimate), I can still look back on this year and say: “I really didn’t have that bad of a time (also, I’m happy with my grades).”

But I couldn’t have had the junior year that I did without the support of those around me. I’ve received tons of good advice throughout the year, and I know a lot of incredible people who have helped me to function this year. I feel as though there’s a high number of students who are nervous to go into their junior year because of the stereotypes surrounding it—so this article is for those who are preparing to become an upperclassman. I’ve asked as many current juniors as possible how they survived their junior year and compiled all of the most common sentiments into the following list.

(Also, even though these tidbits are focused on junior year, I think this list is applicable to all high schoolers, regardless of grade.)

• Never Procrastinate Anything, Ever. (Direct quote from Elise Kohli). It never goes well. It is an instant-fail lifestyle. If you can, do things the day they’re assigned even if you’re just working for 15 minutes. Leaving things until the last minute spirals out of control quickly—you end up pushing everything back and piling stress on yourself.

• Assume Your Schedule Will Get Messed Up. On that note, unfortunately for all involved parties, events literally never stop happening. Once you’ve finished one thing, there will literally always be a new thing to get done, so plan far in advance, but leave wiggle room for unexpected situations. Illness, fatigue, and unexpected responsibilities are inevitable. You’re more than an assignment machine, so assume things are going to take a little bit longer than they really should. That way, if everything does go perfectly, you’re left with a little free time, and if they don’t, you’ve already anticipated it and don’t find yourself falling behind.

• Never Take The Easy Way Out. Not to sound like a narc, but cheaters never prosper. If you honestly struggle your way through your work, even if it’s annoying or difficult, you’ll do better in the long term. Especially for AP classes—do all that “busywork” to the best of your ability if you want a 5 come May. College Board doesn’t allow Chat GPT, after all!

• Can Does Not Equal Should. You’re smart enough to take a lot of AP and IB classes, but that doesn’t mean that those classes will necessarily serve you well. Focus on taking courses that interest you, and not just what will look “best” on your transcript. In the wise words of Sarah Coltrane: “You have a finite amount of time. If you are preoccupied with what is going to be best for your college applications, you’re going to do those things for college applications instead of dedicating your time to things you actually want to do.” Don’t overload yourself with difficult classes or time-consuming extracurriculars you don’t really care about.

• Find the Right Environment. Everyone’s brains focus differently. Find the combination of factors that work to make you most productive. Make playlists, find white noise you like, work in the library… Find the optimal combination of conditions to get you most in The Zone (™). Danica Cheaz says: “Start drinking coffee.”

• Figure Out What Motivates You. You will burn out if you are relying solely on external validation. Do things out of passion, out of a desire to succeed in a specific field, or even just out of the want to get through high school so you can enter your partying days, just like Bryan Wu.

• Take Ample Breaks. “If you have to make the choice between studying and sleeping, always choose sleeping,” says Laura Kohli. 15 minutes of highly productive, focused work will always outclass an hour of work that you’re half asleep for and opening TikTok every 30 seconds for. Your brain doesn’t retain information properly when it’s tired, so use those time management skills to make space for yourself to relax and rest so you can stay at peak performance.

• Ask for Help As Often As Possible. Enloe is chock-full of smart people. If you know someone who specializes in a specific subject, consult them when you struggle. Nine times out of ten, they will be willing to help you out. Whether it’s just explaining a concept or holding a study party, your friends can be great study resources! Just make sure you return the favor if they ever need your help.

• Be Friendly With Your Teachers. They’re there to help you! Most teachers will be delighted to have a chat with you, and they give great advice on not just how to pass their classes, but on life in general. In addition, if an emergency comes up and you need an extension for an assignment, knowing you as a real person and not just as another face in the class helps them sympathize and get you the extra day you need.

Have Fun At All Costs. You can’t always be happy, but you can certainly have a good time trying. Hang out with friends. Go outside when you have an hour to spare. Do things because there’s no good reason to say no—and “I don’t want to” is usually not a good reason. You’d be surprised how much happier you will be just doing things for the hell of it. We really don’t have much time to live, so do everything you can to have fun; do things that make you happy even if they’re tiny, even if it’s silly, even if they mean you have a bit less time to study. Give your all to your work, and try just as hard to play.