For most, freshman year is a major shock. You leave home, leave all your high school friends and start your future. The first round of tests take you by surprise, time management is a major issue, and balancing life no longer seems simple. Luckily, by sophomore year, you begin to get used to being independent.
As this year began, I knew exactly what to expect for homecoming, work load, sorority events, and lack of free time. With being part of Greek life, we have a specified number of pomping hours every two weeks, usually somewhere between sixteen and twenty, plus Freshman Follies for a few hours three times a week, if you are a director.
These commitments alone leave little time for me and my friends. However, based on the lessons I learned about time management last year, I am able to balance these commitments along with my school work and clubs. I also make time for me, whether it’s going to the gym for a class at the Colvin or watching a movie with my roommate. It’s all part of the balancing act called college.
Sophomore year opens up opportunities to get involved in major-related clubs, service organizations, and other “resume boosters”, which actually end up being fun and adventurous. Joining clubs and organizations develops social skills, new relationships, and new perspectives that could not be gained without branching out. Sophomore year is a time to focus on choosing a field of study and developing friendships. It is important to take advantage of your advisers and professors; they can be immensely helpful if you need someone to talk to or need recommendation letters for scholarships or special recognitions.
You can explore many different majors and classes, without worrying too much about losing time. You do not have to have it all figured out about your life plan or your future. Sophomore year is a time to discover. Managing the changes in life has gotten easier, but there is still stress sometimes; that has not changed at all. Being a sophomore does not mean everything is magically easier, just easier to handle when you adjust to the college atmosphere. Stress and all-nighters continue to dominate the college scene, no matter what age, and sometimes it can feel like you are drowning under tests, homework, reading, and other assignments. But then you can remember that it will always turn around.
As Sugarland says, “some believe in destiny and some believe in fate, but I believe that happiness is something we create,” so find ways to make yourself happy and give yourself a break. College is a time for learning, but it is also one of the best times of your life. Enjoy it!
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at OK State chapter.