Jackson-Reed is filled to the brim with clubs, sports teams, and the most niche extracurriculars that any student could ask for. However, an incoming freshman isn’t necessarily going to immediately become a captain, leader, or director, and I’m here to tell you that’s okay.
The idea of seniority is nothing new, but our attitudes towards it can be. If you don’t know what seniority is, it is the principle that you are more likely to be a member of a team or club if you are older. You are also much more likely to obtain leadership positions if you are an upperclassman.
While some underclassmen may feel limited by these unspoken rules, seniority is what makes students respect the process of rising through the ranks. When you have something, such as a role or title, to work towards, it feels that much more rewarding when you finally achieve it.
Furthermore, upperclassmen have less time at JR compared to underclassmen, so they should get to experience leadership in high school while they have the chance. Not only do upperclassmen have less time left at the school, but they also have more experience. They have watched students come and go, learned things from watching the previous class, and have more knowledge on how certain things should be.
During my first two years at JR, I was incredibly frustrated with this idea of “waiting for your turn,” but over time, I’ve learned to respect it. In almost every school activity I have taken part in, I wasn’t given the same opportunities as upperclassmen. But they had already established role in the community, while I was figuring out a new environment! There is such a big difference between the goals and needs of the two groups, and at the end of the day, roles in extracurriculars are much more beneficial for upperclassmen.
I’m not saying that if you’re a talented underclassman you have no shot of making varsity or getting the lead in the school musical. It’s just more likely that seniors and juniors will be prioritized when it comes to membership in teams and clubs, and that’s how it should be! Underclassmen are gifted with the unique opportunity to explore all of the options that our school has to offer, and even if you commit to something freshman year, you are still going to have multiple years to learn and become a leader.
If there is one thing for underclassmen to understand, let it be this: you have time. Do not freak out if you don’t get the lead or aren’t named captain. It doesn’t mean you aren’t talented or deserving, it just means that your time is coming. In the meantime, build good relationships with the leaders of your extracurriculars! You are always working towards something better, but good things always come with time.
