Why now?

So I was sitting at my computer trying to figure out what my first blog post for American Studies would be. I started clicking randomly on others people's blogs as to help me find a topic. I even checked out CNN.com but still couldn't find anything. So then I thought: Why am I doing this? Obviously because I have to, because it was assigned to me. If I don't do it, I won't get into college. If I don't go to college, then I'll have a hard life ahead of me. I think that its crazy that everything I do now, directly effects the rest of my life. When ever I tell someone that I am a junior in high school, they say, "Wow, this is the most important year of your life." Why is my junior year the most important year of my life? I'm only sixteen, are people in the real world really going to care how did my junior year of high school when I'm 30? 40? 50? I think not, but the truth is that life is a vicious chain of events, each one leading to the next. When I'm 20, 25, and/or 30 and I am applying for a job, my employer is going to care where I went to college and how I did. When I apply for college, the college admissions is probably going to care where I went to high school and how I did. So in reality, my junior year in high school, the year I am sixteen, and young, and irresponsible does effect the rest of my life, no matter how harsh and cruel that is. The fact is that how I do this year will effect how successful I am career wise when I'm 40, responsible, and have a family. If I choose to blow off this assignment and failed American Studies my junior year, I probably would not get into a good college. By that time it would be too late, and by the time i was 20, not 40 I'd already be regretting it. So guess what, I am doing this assignment and working hard this year, because this is the year. All of us juniors need to really sit down and think about where we want to end up in life because this is the year that decides it. We have to study hard and prepare for our SATs, ACTs, and all those other Ts we're taking; Not to mention or finals and actual school work. I guess what I'm saying is why now? Why do I have to work hard now, only to work harder later? Why is life so unfair? Everyone will tell you it is, but now why.