Sophomore year is notorious deemed as the year of the “Sophomore Slump.” A period in the lives of sophomores in which they can describe everything using one word: “meh.” Could it possibly be starting already for the Classes of 2018?
Coming back to campus was great. Seeing old friends, discussing summers, going back to favorite frats, Saga sitting for hours and looking forward to interesting classes. Then, classes began, and the sophomore class took a universal gasp and groan at the workload. Sophomore year is going to be hard. Teachers expect more and give students much more to do outside of class. The issue with this is that homework time has become miniscule. Sophomore schedules are jam packed with “resume builders.”
The first weekend was much needed. The parties were a blast. All of the friends who had hidden behind stacks of textbooks the first week were found and loud reunions were abundant. Sophomores felt the glory of looking down from frat porches onto the freshman walking past in herds.
The second weekend came and the thrill of being back died down. As sophomores were sitting around and talking with their friends at frats they watched the snap stories of their OM kids doing crazy freshmen things. The freshman all seem to be having the time of their lives. They’re dancing, screaming and their excitement is palpable. The sophomores watch with envy and reflect on their own crazy moments.
During these moments of reflection, food always seems to appear on the mind. Sophomores think about the chips and salsa, or the popcorn, or the Domino’s they are going to enjoy back in their rooms. They can’t wait. Arguably too soon into the night, sophomores begin to yawn and their food cravings win. They head home. They have become a firm believers in Ted Mosby’s philosophy that “nothing good happens past 2 a.m.”
Are these signs of the “Sophomore Slump” truly “meh?” Sure, excitement levels are low, but shouldn’t we really be thankful life is limiting the number of times we fall off porches, slobber over the face of that not-so-cute boy in public, knockdown signs in JPR, accidently set Sherril on fire, and do many of the other embarrassing freshmen things? At least this year, sophomores know their way around. They know the people, the place, not to drink the jungle juice and to stay as far away from the edge of the porch as possible. Even in the “meh” moments, sophomores are lucky to have friends to eat chips with at the end of a night, laugh with at parties, and cry with in the library.
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