Freshman year was a breeze. You were in a new environment, taking general ed courses and making a ton of new friends and connections. You had no worries. You could change your major with little to no consequences. Sophomore year comes around and you're ready to conquer this whole college thing again, or so you thought.
Sophomore year is filled with doubt, stress, tests and more. You thought you had this whole college experience under control until the first day of class arrives. You haven't bought any of your books because you never used them freshman year and all of the sudden you have three assignments due that are strictly out of your book. It is a whole new world. After the first week, the sophomore slump begins to set in.
The doubt: Many things have crossed your mind. You have no idea what you want to do and it's getting to the point where, if you change your major, you will suffer consequences, such as having to take another year of classes. You thought you knew what you wanted to do, but as soon as you take your first educational psychology exam, you begin to doubt your existence and if you even belong in your major, college, or university. Who thought it was a good idea to let 18-20 year old decide what the rest of their life was going to entail?
The stress: For some reason, all of the classes sophomore year are super stressful and hand out a lot of homework. Classes like anatomy take over your entire life. You want to go out and relieve some of your stress, but doing so only causes more stress because you should be studying. You want to do all of your homework yet none of it at the same time. You freak out because you have absolutely no idea if you are drowning in your classes or sailing along full speed ahead, because you feel both ways simultaneously.
Financials: I don't know about you, but freshman year I was OK with money. I had all of my graduation money to buy my books and pay for other expenses throughout the year. Sophomore year, though, I have run out of money faster than ever. Between books, tuition, club dues, clothing orders for those clubs, gas, rent, and eating off campus, I am flat-out broke. I never truly knew the definition of broke college student before I lived it. Now, buying a $9 t-shirt for a good cause is a painstaking ordeal that usually ends with no t-shirt.
Not wanting to do anything: The first few weeks of school are great, you're getting settled into your new place, you see all of your old friends, and the weather is nice. Once the first snow rolls around it all changes. All you want to do is lay in bed and watch Netflix."11 seasons of "Grey's Anatomy?" Pshhh that will take me a week." You wear yoga pants every day of the week and don't even remember the last time you pulled on a pair of jeans. Your friends ask you to hang out and you just tell them you are swamped in homework. Then you turn on Netflix.
Even though we are freaking out about life, we are only 19-20. We have two to three years left of school. At least we aren't graduating in 30 days and have no clue what we are going to do. That would be terrible!
