1. Being the "experienced" Mawrters
At this stage, people refer to us as Veterans. Having gone through customs week and the orientation that was freshman year, we are said to know it all. From being able to direct visitors to buildings on campus, to knowing the meaning behind every tradition, freshman looks to us for advice on just how many snacks to bring and what seems are most interesting. However, many like myself still feel like we need help to navigate the maze that is park and pre-registration. We don’t feel quite ready to tell the people who are only a year younger than we are how to navigate Bryn Mawr.
2. Having to know what you want to study by the end of the year
By now, most Bryn Mawr students will have taken classes in a variety of disciplines, whether it be to fulfill requirements, as a prospective major or just for fun. Personally, I wish I could have taken classes in many other departments last year, that simply did not fit into my schedule. Declaring a major is undoubtedly one of the most daunting parts of the sophomore year for many. Although Bryn Mawr makes the process easy and fun, ultimately there is still a process to follow. The college hosts major “teams” and a party when all sophomores declare. Some students come to Bryn Mawr knowing exactly what they want to major in, while others have no ideas. Although I knew I wanted to study computer science, I might find another area of interest that I want to pursue as a major or minor, as late as the fall semester.
3. Fear of falling into the sophomore slump
Although the Sophomore slump is not something that is talked about often, there are students who refer to the difficult period of the sophomore year as a slump. People have told me to be careful of falling into this so called a slump, which can include uncertainty of major, homesickness and other general feelings of sluggishness throughout the year. However, people who experienced this told me that it only lasted for a period of time, and afterward, they were able to fully enjoy the rest of their sophomore year, profiting from spring on campus and traditions.
4. Having to make new friends
Bryn Mawr makes it easy for Freshman to bond through something known as a customs group. A group of freshman live on the same hall for the year and take part in orientation week activities together. They also have gatherings throughout the year and are there for each other. As sophomores, students can choose to have a roommate or have a single, based on the luck of their housing lottery number. Something I am nervous about is having to establish new relationships with hall mates, and not seeing friends who live in other dorms as often. Also, as I am taking all of my classes at Haverford, I may not be able to spend as much time with friends taking most classes at Bryn Mawr during the week.
5. Being 25% done with college
People tell you college is the quickest four years of your life, but it feels like I was just a prospective student deciding if Bryn Mawr would be my home. With one year completed, I can definitely say I have learned more than I could have imagined. I have been challenged to think logically while making sure my voice is heard. I have met people from all walks of life, people who have traveled the world to study at Bryn Mawr. The one fear I have is that in these next three years, I will not have time to take every class I want or to attend every event possible. My goal for the coming year is to explore classes I never thought about before and participate in as much as I can so that I will not regret it later.
Although we all have trivial anxieties about starting a new year, I am ultimately excited to return back to the place I can now call my second home, see my friends and begin a new set of challenging classes.
