Jiya Kohar Week 16: Bye, AP Lang
Wow. I remember when we initially started blogging, I enjoyed looking back at past years’ cohorts and reading through different blogs. I recognized some familiar faces and thought of how cool it was that they had something that documented their growth in writing and thinking throughout one of the most fundamental years of their lives -- junior year. I also remember the plethora of students writing their last blog about ending junior year and how it went by so fast. I almost scoffed while reading and thought about how lucky they were, being at the end of the hardest year of high school and being able to look back, getting ready to go to college. I thought they were exaggerating about how quickly the year went by and how they wished they had taken everything in. I doubted their reflections and thought it was all some nonsense in a sappy and over-exaggerated farewell.
However, now that I’m on the other side, I’m left with the exact same feelings and takeaways those students wrote about for many years before me. I genuinely feel like the school year has flown by. Sure, there were MANY moments where I felt time was too slow and that it just would not pass fast enough, no matter what I did, but at the finish line, it seems much faster. At the beginning of the year, I was envious of the people who ended their junior year; I truly thought they had everything figured out and basically knew where they were going to go to college and had the next few years of their lives planned out. Why? I’m not too sure. At this moment, I am even more uncertain and confused than before. In the same way that I wished I were done with junior year in August, I wish I was edging my way through the last week of high school as the seniors are doing now. However, I now know that this wish is likely something I will completely disagree with a year from now.
Even now, while I was scrolling through the classwork section to find this document, I found myself going through the different journeys this year has taken us through. From all the books and in-class essays to POAS and the Gatsby party, I am overcome with a sense of deep gratitude and appreciation for all this class has provided me with, both educationally and personally. I am beyond grateful to have been able to spend this past year in this class and will definitely miss it.
As we finish these last couple of days of junior year, I know that senior year will shortly follow and fly by faster than we ever imagined possible. I know that there might be another junior starting this August, or maybe many Augusts from now, reading this exact blog, in my exact position, feeling envious of seniors.
I know that I was very wrong to think so.
Gatsby Party 2026
However, now that I’m on the other side, I’m left with the exact same feelings and takeaways those students wrote about for many years before me. I genuinely feel like the school year has flown by. Sure, there were MANY moments where I felt time was too slow and that it just would not pass fast enough, no matter what I did, but at the finish line, it seems much faster. At the beginning of the year, I was envious of the people who ended their junior year; I truly thought they had everything figured out and basically knew where they were going to go to college and had the next few years of their lives planned out. Why? I’m not too sure. At this moment, I am even more uncertain and confused than before. In the same way that I wished I were done with junior year in August, I wish I was edging my way through the last week of high school as the seniors are doing now. However, I now know that this wish is likely something I will completely disagree with a year from now.
Even now, while I was scrolling through the classwork section to find this document, I found myself going through the different journeys this year has taken us through. From all the books and in-class essays to POAS and the Gatsby party, I am overcome with a sense of deep gratitude and appreciation for all this class has provided me with, both educationally and personally. I am beyond grateful to have been able to spend this past year in this class and will definitely miss it.
As we finish these last couple of days of junior year, I know that senior year will shortly follow and fly by faster than we ever imagined possible. I know that there might be another junior starting this August, or maybe many Augusts from now, reading this exact blog, in my exact position, feeling envious of seniors.
I know that I was very wrong to think so.
Gatsby Party 2026
Hello, Jiya! Honestly, I’m shocked that you still have photos from the Gatsby Party! Especially one that perfectly matches your blog! Huh. I guess taking pictures from time to time has its uses.
ReplyDeleteDisregarding my tangent, you couldn’t have worded it better. The year really was… a flash. Sure, the first semester was arduous, but it was still, somehow, fun. I remember looking at last year’s blogs for inspiration, and thinking, wow. These are some sappy blogs. But looking back at our class, I seem to be getting some of those same sappy feelings for myself.
A measly 10 months. It seems so long, yet once you get to actually living, enjoying the moment, it seems so fickle. I suppose that’s how it is. As I finish with this blog, I still don’t know what I’m going to be in the future, or what I want to do. But I suppose that’s fine. It was a nice year in APENG, after all.
Hi Jiya, truer words were never spoken. This year went by way too fast. The things we did both in this class and outside of it were as painful as they were memorable. Painful in the sense that they’ll stay with us for a lifetime. Junior year to me was as hard as everyone said it was going to be and a little worse if I’m being honest. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything, the memories, the friendships, the bonds, and the things I learned are irreplaceable. Sure friends come and go, in a short while we will all go our separate ways, we’ll meet new people, learn new things, experience the unthinkable, but what we went through this year that’ll also be there. I think whether we realize it or not, junior year is a foundational year for the rest of our lives. Almost all juniors have changed so much, or rather, added so much. Our personalities have developed, our thought processes have complicated, some of us challenged ourselves academically, others physically, a few both, and that is going to stay with us. AP Lang will be a memory I carry with me forever. This class was an experience that I didn’t know I needed, but one I’ll cherish forever. The rollercoaster ride that was Portable E was something that I can never take for granted. English with you this year was an absolute gem. From your Epstein POAS presentation, to the thoughtful and insightful points you brought up during class discussions I’m very happy to have been apart of this rollercoaster with you Jiya and I do hope that we get a class together next year.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, thank you for being such a nice cohort companion! I’ve enjoyed reading your blogs, as they’re always interesting and well-thought out, giving me that oohhh! I see! moment while reading. Yeah, even with that Epstein blog…. Please continue to keep making others laugh, as you’ve had throughout this year—it’s nice to listen to someone so witty.
ReplyDeleteAnd that oh! moment happened again this time. So that's what the feeling was. I also remember looking at the blogs, but never really thought of it as envy. The way you’ve worded it makes so much sense. I’d think about the seniors in the middle of year and wished I was in their shoes. Like I’m here, bombarded with all sorts of assignments, tests, and projects, and these seniors miss all of that? But now, in hindsight, I’m both grateful and scared. Grateful that I managed to survive the “hardest year” and make so many memories, but also scared because time is passing by so fast. I can’t recall what happened in January. Or February. Or any of the months up to now. I feel like I took the entire experience for granted. And then a year later, experience the exact same regret and sentimentality, just like how you are foreseeing.
I do miss those crazy annotations, just a little (it was chill, relaxing when I had the time to, not when I accidentally left all my work to cram at the end). I definitely miss that ad analysis assignment; I had so much fun cooking up reasons for rhetorical choices. Oh, and that Gatsby Party! When else in life will I ever be able to attend a 1920’s themed party and roleplay in the time period? It’s always classes like these where I feel like I didn’t learn anything, but have actually re-wired my mind in ways I just haven’t realized. Thank you again for writing this blog Jiya!
I really enjoyed being your classmate this year Jiya! I also enjoyed being in your cohort. I feel like you bring a fresh and witty perspective to various hot button issues. I was always extremely impressed and intrigued when reading your blogs. I totally agree with your take of regretting not taking in the things going on around me throughout the year. I think the only videos and pictures I have on my phone are from concerts I went to this year. I definitely think it’s because we all have had our heads in the game for such a long time. I also took the time to read through the different blogs I wrote and I can definitely see how I have changed over the course of ten months. I hope you have a great summer!
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