With the beginning of a new school year everything always feels a little different. I've been back in school for a couple of weeks now, and there are still things I can't seem to get used to. Going to the same school with the same students for four years, it's not really the people or the place but more so the flow of it all. We still know Siebel overprices their food, that we don't really need to sign out in the office before going off on campus, and which teachers will look the other way when you have your phone out in the hallways.

The difference? This year we're juniors! We're officially upperclassmen (and if you thought we were cocky before, you should see us now)! Last year we had to suffer through sharing second-floor hallway with "little freshmen," but not this year. This year we get to move to first floor, with the extremely cool and convenient (especially since most of us only have one or two classes on first floor) lockers. The seniors get the joy of having to share their precious space with our uniquely designed backpacks and our overstuffed sports bags, and we get the satisfaction of being on the same floor as the kitchen (first in line for pizza sales!) and having both a boys and girls bathroom!

But best of all? We get lounge privileges! We don’t have to sit in the lame hallway, but we get to sit amongst the once lice-filled furniture. And we no longer have to depend on our expensive iPods for our source of musical entertainment, since the lounge provides satisfyingly relaxing tunes. We even get to do cool things like toss tennis balls around at each other without the presence of annoying subbies (and if a subbie dares to venture in to the lounge, we have Ammar to show them who's boss).

Not only that but we even get our own PCC groups, which we will all ditch at some time or another so as to prove how truly cool we are. Maybe we'll have to take attendance as was required for our past "class meetings."

One of the most exciting things, though, is that this year we also get to go to prom! Going to prom with your classmates is supposed to be one of the stepping stones in your high school career … you just can’t miss it! Although it might just be like any other dance we will at least be able to brag about our many after-prom experiences using cool code words like we’ve been doing since the beginning of sophomore year (that not even the seniors have been able to decipher). Wait, what does "stroganoff" mean again?

And not only do we get to share the same hallway as the seniors but we even get to be in some of their classes! I mean, what better place to bond and show off our true athletic abilities than to kick some senior butt at ultimate Frisbee (the ultimate of ultimate sports).

So here's to the junior class and how truly amazing this year will be! (Supposedly.)