For many Bucknell students, when asked about what it is like to live away from home, stories from freshman year move-in day, orientation, and intense hall mate bonding is recounted. We remember the silly and awkward icebreakers, the very overwhelming color games, and the excitement and nerves that came along with being truly independent for the first time. However, much less is said about moving back in for your sophomore year. This is because as returning students, we know more of what to expect. As a freshman, there is comfort in knowing that everyone is in the same position with not knowing what lies ahead. But does simply knowing what to expect make moving in sophomore year easier? This brings me to a new, rarely discussed phenomenon: The Sophomore Expectation. Dun dun dunnnn….
While you can never perfectly predict anything, sophomore year students certainly have an idea as to where things are on campus, what the different types of classes are like, and what social circles they are walking into. While classes and friends change, sophomores no longer have the “freshman excuse.” Looking clueless is generally no longer accepted behavior, as they have already experienced college for an entire year. Sometimes, actually knowing what to expect makes the transition back to college the second year a lot harder. Don’t get me wrong, I still, as a sophomore, got lost finding a class the first day. It’s not that sophomores don’t still get confused, it’s that more is expected from them. This, in turn, makes returning to campus a lot more intimidating the second time around. In addition, for many sophomore girls, the experience of rush is entirely novel. While many of our hometown friends have already joined sororities, Bucknell students have the opportunity to join one at the beginning of sophomore year. Therefore, those who choose to rush know to expect it rapidly approaching. Freshman year, this was not something to think about.
While moving in to for the first time is an entirely new, daunting, and exciting experience, the sophomore experience isn’t necessarily a breeze. While certainly it is easier knowing you have friends and familiar faces to return to, both the expectations you have for yourself, and those imposed on you by others, definitely add a new level of stress. However, it is important to note that it is perfectly okay to make mistakes and to be confused as an upperclassman. After all, college is about learning new things. By no means does finishing freshman year instantly make you an expert. So to all my fellow sophomores, get out there, make mistakes, and be yourself. You’re all doing just fine.