This is Spitfire, a style of head-to-head debates between The Accolade’s two Opinion editors. Kayden is red. Aashna is purple.
PREVIOUSLY ON SPITFIRE: The two Opinion editors went head-to-head about whether or not Valentine’s Day should be considered a national holiday. Kayden, the winner and now-defending champion, fought for the U.S. to support the power of love, while Aashna passionately argued against it. Will Aashna take the crown this time around? One thing’s for sure: they’re both about to spit FIRE.
Here are the rules:
- No profanity.
- An editor attacked by the other will be given three sentences to respond.
- The readers will decide who wins through a poll at the end of the article.
- Once a rule is broken, the debate ends.
Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away, but now it looks as though they’re here to stay — all because of the junior year of my last two years in high school. Thanks to The Beatles’ song, “Yesterday,” I realized that my “troubles seemed far away” when I first set foot on the Sunny Hills campus as a freshman. These two introductory years set the stage for a lifetime of friendships, a newfound sense of responsibility and the opportunity to start a fresh chapter as a different person — especially after being spoon-fed all throughout elementary and middle school.
Sure, the first two years are a fresh introduction to high school life, but it’s also when you’re busy. I mean, basically all of high school is the same until senior year, which is when you finally get to do something different in the form of college applications in the first semester and worrying less about your future in the second semester. As a senior, I can undoubtedly say that this year, out of the past four, has been the most rewarding and a time for personal growth.
My freshman year especially was a new environment with an excessive amount of independence, where I found it difficult to juggle higher-level classes with sports and extracurriculars, but the beauty of the underclassman stage lies in just that — the ability to make mistakes and learn from them going forward, without facing significant repercussions. With the junior and senior years being the most integral parts of our high school experience in terms of college applications and the brink of adulthood, many of us face increased amounts of pressure. During these first two years, life is a breath of fresh air without the worries of an upperclassman since we have the help of school-offered programs like Link Crew that allow us to adjust smoothly to this new stage in our lives with engaging activities.
How would incoming freshmen know that being an underclassman is a breath of fresh air compared to being an upperclassman? All high schoolers struggle constantly, albeit in their own ways, and it’s unreasonable to assume that, just because college application season is busy and stressful, it takes away from the upperclassman experience. You’ll get it when you’re a senior — the past few years have been leading up to these last few months before graduation, and the comfort of knowing you’re near the end and that you’ve grown as a person is part of being an upperclassman.
I haven’t experienced the last two months of senior year that seems to be a fan-favorite among those in their final year of high school, but I have endured the horrors of junior year with an overwhelming workload and even learning how to drive; everything seems to be making its way into our lives within this year itself — even outside of academics. With the notorious junior year joining forces with the college application season of senior year, it just sounds like a recipe for disaster and stress-related breakouts. Although the transition stage from middle to high school is a challenge, sophomore year becomes a breeze as we get into the groove of things and learn how to manage our workload — making the first half of high school seem like heaven compared to the second.
I get what you’re saying. But look — it’s busy, but even essay writing eventually becomes a routine in the bustle of the college application season. Underclassmen do have to struggle with getting used to a new level of education, but that’s not why the junior and senior years are more valuable; they’re better because of the wider variety they provide through experiences like less stressful school days, a new part of life (college essays) and something to look forward to — your future. You know, I graduate in a few months, and I can confidently say that, looking back, these past two school years were much more interesting, eventful and valuable to me than the first.
Because of the violation of rule No. 2, Spitfire ends by default. Who do you think is right? Click on Aashna’s or Kayden’s picture to declare your winner.
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