As my sophomore year is coming to an end I have learned so much and I can't believe I am going to be a junior! There are so many lessons I learned this year and would like to share them.

Dear Rising Sophomores,

Congrats on almost finishing your first year of college! You are almost at the finish line and just can't for it to be over! You may feel stressed out about finals and grades etc., but t just know that during finals week perform to the best of your abilities. Your first year may have been difficult and faced bumps along the road and wish for the future years to be better.

My advice to you for next year is to network and get to know more people on campus. Freshmen year is a transitional year where you are finding your own place on campus and getting yourself situated. Hopefully, by now you have your niche on campus and expand your surroundings by developing connections with your professors or clubs.

Getting out of your comfort zone and navigating to the unknown may involve risk but better opportunities along the way.

My second piece of advice would be too depending on your career and major find an internship that works best for you. Finding an internship during the winter or summer by the end of your sophomore year will allow you to understand what your major is about. Internships provide that real-world experience and taste of what your life will be like when your undergraduate career is over.

You still have time to make a decision on whether to change your major or not, so start early. Find something that gives you passion and happiness. Once you have slowly built these connections around you, you may start to notice that your time is precious and may have more responsibilities on your plate. It can be stressful if you don't have time management skills. Time management is essential and helps you organize later on in life.

With time management there also comes leadership. Leadership is an essential position to have in any career and shows that you truly care about a certain club or hobby. If you are in any clubs I recommend applying to higher level positions and try to make yourself stand out from other people. People will notice the qualities you have as a person and will prosper. Having leadership will also allow you to mentor others as well.

Lastly, have fun in your college experience. College is preparing you for your career but it also helps form memories. Memories that might be good or bad but either way it has a learning experience. College is a roller coaster and you have your ups and downs. It's okay to feel stressed, happy, sad, and confused etc. We are human beings at the end of the day. Don 't sweat the small stuff and appreciate the moment you are in right now.

I wish you the best of luck in your college career and may you prosper on your future goals and ambitions. Positive vibes my friend and enjoy your life to the max.