You’d think the first time back at school post-freshman year would be better than the first, but for some, especially myself, it’s the year where reality truly sets in. You live off-campus, away from most events, and school responsibilities pile up on top of one another while you try to navigate rent and groceries. Everything in life starts to feel a little too real.
The “Sophomore Slump” is notorious for coming out of nowhere and hitting you hard. The fun of freshman year has passed, and you’re left with the scraps to get you through your sophomore year. Your friends are all celebrating their 20th birthdays, and you’ve come to understand why some people just never go to class: it’s too draining.
Unlike high school, the college Sophomore Slump almost feels like a heavy, inevitable weight just about to drop when you least expect it; however, if there’s a will, there’s a way. If you’ve made it through the high school slump, you can make it through the college one, too.
utilize landis green
Coming into the Spring semester right after a nice, long winter break felt worse than before, but after a few weeks in, there are ways to overcome the funk of sophomore year. It might not work for everyone, but spending the day out on Landis Green helped during what felt like the worst week of my life.
I had my friends come with me, bring some blankets, and spend all day with me on Landis Green. It almost felt like traveling back to freshman year, when I could actually breathe without the overwhelming responsibilities weighing me down from sophomore year.
Did you know you could rent frisbees from Strozier Library? That’s something I had to look up, and when I went to get one, the desk workers were shocked to see anyone actually renting one for the day. I think I was one of the first to actually rent one in a long time. So, if you feel like you’re lacking in activities to do on the Green, rent a frisbee, and you’ll feel like you’re in a college brochure.
Enjoying the day, reconnecting with campus, and sitting out on the Green all reminded me of why I even came to college in the first place: to experience connection to a community I get to be a part of.
give yourself grace
Another aspect of this mini adventure on the Green was that it put into perspective that you shouldn’t put so much pressure on everything happening at the moment. You can’t do everything in a day, no matter how much you try, and that’s okay.
A win is a win, whether that’s going to the gym for half an hour one day or getting some schoolwork done; you still accomplished something. You can’t fix problems in a day, but you can work at them a little each day, and you’ll eventually find a solution.
You’re human, not a machine, and setbacks will happen. It’s college after all, this is the time to learn how to handle setbacks in an environment that’s there to support you, to help you grow and change into someone better, with the skills to handle what life throws your way. It’s the time to call your friends, because I’m sure they’ve been there too. The Sophomore Slump cannon event comes for everyone, and having that kind of support definitely helps you feel like you aren’t the only one.
The Sophomore Slump won’t be forever, even if it may feel that way. As quoted by Carrie Bradshaw herself, “After all, computers crash, people die, relationships fall apart. The best we can do is breathe and reboot.”
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