Sophomore Slumps: Are they real?

Coming into my sophomore year of college I had high expectations because of how well my freshman year went.  Then life hit me with a reality check- I'm not a freshman anymore and a lot more is expected of me.  You're not worrying so much about what clubs to join or where the library is on campus anymore. The stresses we face hit us harder, last longer, and test our ability to face challenges head on.  When talking to an upperclassman, I realized that all of this actually has a name: the sophomore slumps.  When doing a little digging online, this is what I found.

"Sophomores experience a whole new set of stressors as they return to the college campus. Unlike freshman, they receive fewer warnings about the do’s and don’ts of college life; they are expected to know how things work. Combine this with the push to declare a major, find an internship, and decide whether or not to study abroad can lead sophomores to fall into the 'sophomore slump.'  This new found set of expectations can lead to challenges for the second-year student."

While this may be true,  I don't think this so called sophomore slump is a bad thing.  It shows that we as students are growing up and becoming adults.  We're facing more decisions that will effect our life in the long run- like what our major is or where we decide to intern.  I'm a big believer that you get out what you put into the things you do.  This may be a club, a sorority or fraternity, a class, or even just your sophomore year in college.  I can say that I've experienced the normal stresses of a college sophomore, but I can't relate it to being a freshman because they're different.  Maybe that's one thing I've learned already this year- not to compare this year to the previous one.  Every year here at Coe presents me with new opportunities, new experiences, and new memories.  I believe that if you surround yourself with people you care about, study hard, use your resources wisely, talk to professors, get a good amount of sleep, eat well, exercise, have fun, and relax, then the sophomore slumps can be avoided.  It's safe to say that I've avoided it and I take pride in being a college sophomore, especially here at Coe. So next time you find yourself in a slump, remember that you're just growing as a person.  We only have two more full years of college left and we're all better off enjoying them.

Kohawk love,
Alexis