There is a very serious problem in colleges that plague students: the Sophomore Slump. For me, my freshman year was amazing. I passed all my classes, made the Dean's List, joined a prestigious organization, made lots of friends, did new and fun things; I had the best year of my life! Now I'm in my sophomore year and it's been...different. But, I am determined to not let this second year syndrome get me down, and I hope this will help all my fellow sophomores too.

1. Stop Comparing

Pretty obvious, but I need to remind myself this. I'm not going to be as excited about something I do a 10th time as I was the first time I did it. Something that I once thought was awesome might not be anymore because I've changed as a person. That's OK, life is supposed to move forward and change. Progress is supposed to happen, and it can't be achieved if things stay the same.

2. Live and Learn

This one is in regards to my classes. I decided to take 15 hours this semester, which I had not done freshman year, and all my courses are upper level classes. I now know there is a reason these are called upper level courses -- they are not easy! It's a lot of work I hadn't anticipated, but the good news is that now I know and can adjust for the rest of my semesters.

3. Change it Up

Another one that might be obvious, but one of the best ways to get out of a rut is to try new things! One thing I've taken up is trying coffee shops and a different drink each time I go. It's something small, but it helps me a lot in breaking up the mundane. Try a new spot on campus, take a different travel route, eat somewhere new, talk to a stranger, experience new things. That's why freshman year was so great, everything was new!

4. Make Plans

Take the time to make genuine plans with your friends and potential new ones instead of just saying, "Oh I'll see you at (insert huge gathering)!" If you feel that your friendships aren't deep, all it takes is one dinner invite or two to change that.

5. Do Something That Scares You

Yes we tried a lot of things our freshman year, but there are definitely things you haven't done because you're apprehensive about it. Do it! Get your blood pumping, build your confidence; it'll feel so good. As long as it's not hard drugs or something else illegal, don't do that. There's a reason you stay away from those.

6. Get Organized

One thing that's helped me a lot is writing things down in a planner. I'm a lot busier now, and having all my responsibilities in one place (besides my scattered brain) helps me to stay on track and avoid stress.

7. Self-Educate

What I mean by this is to learn something on your own that you find interesting, fun or useful. I've been studying The Bible and learning typography, and both help a lot with decreasing stress and increasing happiness.

8. Be Positive

You are the ultimate deciding factor in your happiness. So be positive and stop moping -- life isn't that bad! You're at a university getting a college degree, that's definitely something to celebrate.

We'll get through this sophomores, chin up! Remember, you're awesome and so is life.