Approaching the beginning of my sophomore year, I am realizing that I am just as nervous as I was my first year. The back-to-school jitters are setting in, but this time with a totally new set of uncertainties and expectations. Readjusting to college life after a summer off can be tricky enough, not to mention that things are going to be different once you return to school. While the last class of seniors is off in the real world, basking in their post-grad life, a batch of first years will be roaming the campus along side of you, wondering where to find their first class. Suddenly, the “I’m a first year” excuse doesn’t cut it anymore because you have one whole year under your belt. Refreshing as it may be to be back on campus, here are a few reasons why entering your sophomore year may be just as overwhelming as entering your first year.
1. There are students younger than you now.
Remember how excited you were your first year of college? These younger students may look to you for guidance because you were in their shoes not too long ago. Though it may seem ridiculous, these first years may be nervous to talk to you because you are older. Little do they know, their arrival is just as exciting for us as it is for them. It's like in middle school when you heard there was going to be a new kid in your class and you and your friends wondered what they were going to be like. Imagine that feeling multiplied by a couple hundred new students and it's both exciting and terrifying at the same time.2. Making friends is a whole new ball game.
Forced friendships through assigned roommates and orientation groups are a thing of the past. By now, many people have established their friend groups and figured out where they fit in. Branching out may be difficult, but looking for new friendships in classes, clubs, and events are great ways to meet new people.
3. You know where (almost) everything on campus is.
The whole campus is a mystery when you arrive your first year. After consulting the map they hand out during orientation alone in your room, a carefully planned excursion landed you where you needed to be. If you got a little lost along the way, it wasn’t (quite) as embarrassing to as an older student. Finding your way around isn't so hard now and you even have your favorite hangout and study spots. But if you don’t know where your class is, it's more tempting than ever to slyly pull up a campus map on your phone and hope no one asks what you’re doing.
4. You should probably know how everything works, too...
Right? Wrong. Navigating the college system can be complicated. From online registration menus to obscure acronyms, one year is not enough to take it all in. Even though you may feel pressure to know all there is to know about the college, the reality is that if you didn’t do it last year, you don’t know it now. Is it too late to ask how the copy machines in the library work? I sure hope not.5. It's time to declare a major.
For many liberal arts college students, sophomore year is a year for big decisions. If you have been sampling courses in an attempt to determine what you like, the pressure is on. Declaring a major is a huge step for college students everywhere and it's something that should be celebrated, not dreaded.6. You already start making big summer plans.
Looking forward, the summer after sophomore year marks the middle of your undergraduate college career. After declaring your major, it's time to put your free time to good use at an internship, volunteering, or going abroad. Planning for these opportunities must be done throughout the academic year to make the most out of your summer.
I am all sorts of excited and nervous to begin my second year of college and I can’t wait to see what this year has in store for me. Sophomore year, here I come.
