Sophomore year. Although I’ve only been through one year so far, I think it’s fair to say that sophomore year has potential to be one of the best. You don’t have the burden of being a freshman anymore (although let’s be honest, freshman still have four more years left so I’m kind of jealous of them) but you still have a decent amount of time here having already figured out most of the ropes.

If freshman year was all about “finding yourself” and realizing what makes you happy, maybe sophomore year is all about pursuing those things actively. And remember, not being a freshman means not having to live in a dorm! Freshman year was about testing the waters and getting acclimated, but now you’re a super cool off-campus-living sophomore. It’s exciting getting to cook for yourself and to have your own space and to not be in a cramped dorm room. Not only that, but you finally get to live on your own again. Of course you probably love your parents, but college summers are ridiculously long and around the middle of August you were ready to get back to school.

Sophomore year holds a lot of thrilling potential. You most likely met a bunch of people last year, but now you have a pretty solid friend group. Tackling this next year with those people by your side will be one of the benefits. Freshman year I surrounded myself with people who just genuinely made me happy, and I’m going to carry that through to this year as well. Now that you’ve spent a year here, not only do you know your way around campus but also around your college town. The unfamiliarity has mostly vanished, and you’re ready to get back to your favorite places in your city or town. Now that you’ve been through two semesters worth of final exams, you know that it’s absolutely awful but still not the end of the world. You can and will make it through. Sophomore year is going to be a great one.