Being a sophomore can be considered college’s “awkward phase.” You may feel like you surpassed it when you left your freshman year behind, but the truth is the sophomore slump hits harder than you think. Everyone seems to know what they’re doing, yet you’re still a year away from being considered upperclassmen. This leaves you somewhere in the middle. But don’t worry, with a few simple steps you’ll be able to get over the sophomore slump and prepare yourself for the rest of your college years.
1. Organize yourself and set some goals
Do you want to study abroad? Get a dream internship? Double major? Now is the perfect time to start thinking about these things. Freshman year is consumed by just trying to stop missing home and pass your classes. As a sophomore, you can actually sit down and start thinking about what it is you want to do before you graduate college. Write a list of different things you want to accomplish and places you want to go and start working towards them. A clear vision will help things from piling up and feeling completely unattainable.
Courtesy: Katia Fernandez
2. Accept that your freshman year friends may have drifted away and that’s okay
Starting college you meet a lot of new people whether it’s from sharing that awful community dorm or meeting up for those dinners at Suwannee, but remember not all friendships are meant to last. It can be difficult when you start realizing that everyone is starting to make new friends and schedules become way harder to manage. This doesn’t mean that you’ll never talk again or that every friendship will fizzle, but be open to the idea of meeting new people too. Before you know it, you will start finding people that share a lot more in common with outside of just hating that mandatory pre req.
3. Get involved
I know you’ve heard this a thousand times before, but believe me, there’s a reason for that. Getting involved on campus is ultimately the best way to start creating a tie with your school. Whether it’s through community service or Greek life, meeting new people and building up a resume can make all the difference in your experience. You may have to start at the bottom, but eventually you may find yourself falling in love with your organization and if you don’t you can always pick up another one.
4. Don’t worry if you still don’t feel adjusted
Just because you’re not a freshman anymore, doesn’t mean you aren’t allowed to feel lost every once in a while. I’ll let you in on a little secret, more times than not everyone is just pretending they know what they’re doing. Don’t let it get you down if you still don’t know where the best happy hour is or if you’re confused about where some buildings are. Soon enough, you’ll know campus like the back of your hand and you’ll be old enough to get into the bar actually worth going to.
5. Give yourself a break
Whether it’s taking a fun elective or joining a yoga class, take some time to yourself to just relax. The most unexpected plans can lead you to new found interests and friends. Everyone gets overwhelmed at times, but there’s always a solution even if it takes you longer to discover it.
Being a sophomore can be hard, but these 5 tips are sure to help. Change your major a million times if you have to or keep joining clubs until you find the right one. The sophomore slump has nothing on you.