Before I started college, I had never even heard of the term, “sophomore slump.” Freshmen year, I’d seen a couple memes about it online and had heard the term tossed around a few times, but never really understood what it meant. After reading stories online, the sophomore slump can basically be described as when a sophomore in college begins to lose interest in the aspects of college that were once appealing as a freshman, and as a result, their grades begin to drop, and they may be hit with the blues. You become used to the same faces, the same scenery, the same routine, and you feel like you’ve seen and done everything there is to do. That once blissful feeling of a new adventure, and being free from high school, has suddenly faded.
Towards the middle of my first semester of sophomore year, I could feel that I wasn’t as happy as I’d been before, but I couldn’t really pinpoint why. I just brushed it off as having a heavy course load, even though it was actually an easy semester compared to my last one. I was on academic probation for not meeting the GPA requirements for my scholarship, and all I could think about was how much of a failure I was and how my life would be over if I fell below the requirement a second time. I had rushed a sorority my second semester and didn’t receive a bid, so I felt very unwelcome at school and uncomfortable when I saw some of the girls from that sorority around campus. With those two major factors, I basically felt like I had wasted my first year, and that made me feel extremely disappointed in myself.
However, you can pull yourself out of the sophomore slump. I did manage to pull my grades up and keep my scholarship. Even though I didn’t decide to go through sorority rush a second time, I’m happy with the friends I have, and I’ve decided to try and make more time for them. With trying to focus on school so much, I’ve seen my friends less and less without even realizing it, and I forget how a good time with them can completely lift my mood.
I also decided to take the minimum of 12 credits this semester. At first I felt a little embarrassed taking an easy course load, compared to a lot of my friends taking 18 credits, but then I realized there was nothing wrong with it. One 12 credit semester is not going to hurt me or affect me graduating on time, in the long run. I came into college with a lot of credits from high school so I can get away with it. Also, the four classes I’m taking are very difficult, and I decided that I needed to give myself a small break after working so hard, and to focus mainly on the courses related to my major and not on core courses.
The concept of a sophomore slump may sound a little bit dramatic, but that does not mean that these feelings are not normal. Many of my friends can agree that they are more stressed, and even a bit sadder, than they were their freshmen year. It’s a stressful time in life where you’re supposed to be enjoying yourself and having fun, but also focusing on the real world and making big decisions such as internships and grad schools.
I’ve realized that I shouldn’t feel ashamed of my emotions, but I can do something about them. I just need to have an open, positive, mind like I did my first year of college. You don’t need to join a bunch of clubs or party every weekend to fill your life with a bit more adventure. I’ve learned that the simplest things can really make a difference, such as going to social events on campus, exercising, reading a good book, taking a long drive to the beach, and spending times with my friends and my boyfriend. It may feel like you’re about to burst from stress sometimes in college, but if you take a step back and appreciate the little things, it makes a huge difference.
