Coming into junior year, I was honestly nervous. I am in the minority of students who were not planning on going abroad, and the thought of half of my grade being gone was daunting. I heeded the warnings from my older friends: “It is the hardest year and most important to find an internship; it is boring, all of your friends will be abroad, and living off-campus is really annoying.” I believed them. In fact, when I found out that I was going to be living in Stayer, I was even more worried that I would be alienated from the smaller group of juniors who weren’t abroad. But now, almost finished with my junior year, it has quickly become my favorite so far at Boston College.
Junior year is kind of a hidden gem socially. While everyone was leaving to go abroad, I found myself getting closer to the friends staying back with me, and even expanding my circle as other people’s friends go abroad. Those previously solidified cliques and friend groups fractured from being abroad, which for the first time since freshman year leaves people on campus much more open to new connections. This creates a perfect opportunity to explore new friendships, make deeper bonds, and really embrace the unique vibe that junior year offers, a year that’s often overlooked but is far from lacking in new social experiences.
Junior year is definitely quieter, especially coming from Walsh, but I have never needed it more when looking for summer internships. It kind of feels like the calm before the storm of senior year– the best year of college is coming, and junior year feels like the perfect relaxing time between the craziness of sophomore and senior year.
Though it is a quieter year, the social scene and fun are not barren. What has made the year really special for me has been being there for my friends on their 21st birthdays, celebrating in Boston. Hitting that milestone together and going to the Fenway bars we used to be terrified to go to has been a very full-circle experience, and I would rather celebrate it here in Boston than anywhere else. At the same time, many of my off-campus friends have house parties that I am able to enjoy. For the first time in Boston, I have the opportunity to have full on and off-campus nightlife, which has been so much fun.
Students at BC especially do not give junior year enough credit. The chattering from most people on campus will tell you that junior year is a “lost” and boring year, but don’t buy into it. It’s an underrated chapter that lets you carve out your own space on campus, bond in quieter settings, and enjoy some of the best parts of Boston—all while everyone else is out of town.
So, if you’re about to start your junior year and feeling a little skeptical and nervous, don’t listen to the naysayers. Embrace the pace, enjoy the smaller community, and make some fun memories. This year might surprise you!
Short n’ Sweet
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