In college, there are times when we are a lot less motivated than usual. Sometimes this lack of motivation does not go away, in fact, it snowballs, and grows with each day, and with each day there are more assignments that need to be done, and we are less motivated to start, because to finish seems impossible. These slumps also come at the most inconvenient times, always when we have a big test to study for or a paper due in the coming days that is worth 25 percent of your grade. One of the famous and notorious slumps that college students go through is the sophomore slump and it is the worst.
Sophomore year, it’s your second go around. You are now comfortable with a college workload and feel “prepared.” However, you are now distracted by a myriad of other activities: Your big’s 21st birthday, trying to become more involved in organizations to pad that resume, and searching for the perfect way to spend spring break. This overcomes your want to write a paper for your GHS class, finish and submit that study abroad application, and read a hundred or more pages for your communications class. As sophomore year continues and the work piles up, so does the feeling that you need to do well and succeed. You weigh the pros and cons of not doing the work, but show up to class like you did.
There is a direct correlation with motivation going down while sophomore year progresses. It is almost like junior year of high school that way, the workload seems never-ending and you can't even find the energy to read the syllabus to see the work you should be doing.
Now, before you know it, it’s test day and you don’t even know the topics you are being tested on. You will feel the occasional need to stay in one weekend instead of going out, because you have massive amounts of work. This, however, will be squandered by your friends who all go out, combined with your serious lack of willpower.
The sophomore slump is real. It is not like freshman year anymore: This is no cakewalk. As sophomores, you start to take more classes pertaining to your major, meaning knowing the material is important. Sophomores still try and pretend like college is one huge party and going out all the time is acceptable and possible. Now, instead of spending hours pre-gaming, we are in the library (or at least we should be).
You will find yourself doing anything possible to distract yourself from schoolwork; starting a new show on Netflix, going to random club events, and just napping to try and escape sophomore year. This lack of motivation will be one of the toughest things to overcome within your college career. Even though the sophomore slump is real, you can overcome it and you will survive sophomore year.
