Sophomores: Don't Fear Uncertainty - Explore It!

Hello! My name is Nina Joung, and I am one of the Social Media/Blogger Interns for the Career Center. I’m a sophomore in the School of Arts and Sciences with an undecided major. (Shout out to indecisive people! Whoo!) When I’m not thinking about ways to bring the professional world a little closer to Tufts students, I’m editing the features section of the Tufts Daily, tutoring rowdy 4th graders at the Medford Boys and Girls’ Club, or looking out for my residents as an RA in Haskell.

Me at last year's Tuftonia's Day (Yes, I always look this fabulous)

Returning to Tufts as a sophomore, I feel an exciting mix of familiarity and confusion. While I've become acquainted with the campus, its resources, and the students that make it special, there are so many people, places, and decisions that are unknown to me. (For example, I've never been to the MFA, which is ridiculous because it's free for Tufts students!!) My undecided major is one example of the uncertainty in my life, and the pressure to make a decision is a definitive part of sophomore year.

Apparently, these contrasting feelings are already described in the word "sophomore." The etymology of the word “sophomore” breaks down to mean “wise fool.” Basically, a sophomore is someone who is overconfident in their level of intelligence but still immature.

After one year of college (theodysseyonline.com)

I mean, in my defense, I learned a lot after a year at Tufts: I’ve learned about the ins and outs of campus (most notably: the hidden ice cream bin at Carm!!) and became acquainted with the multiple resources offered on campus. The Tufts Career Center stands out as a resource that most first years don't utilize but one that helped me immensely. Without the Tufts Career Center, I wouldn't have gotten my summer internship at the NYC tech startup SeamlessDocs. Thanks to the tips, guidance, and databases at the Career Center, I spent my summer practicing content marketing, email marketing research, and web design - all while working closely with the company CEO. Additionally, I got to work alongside the most creative, hard-working, and friendly group of young professionals I’ve ever met whilst experiencing the casual yet intense startup environment.

However, that doesn't mean I'm going to follow the "sophomore" definition of naïve overconfidence. On the contrary, I know that while my experiences and knowledge are limited, the questions and the unknowns are infinite. This fact will probably keep me up some nights (or most nights), but it also encourages me to seek answers.

If only uncertainty looked this good on all of us *sigh*
Source

So what can a “wise fool” bring to this blog? Well, oddly enough, I plan to live up to both parts of my "sophomore" title. I hope my past experiences and familiarity with the Career Center and student life will give me the tools to answer the questions I've had, currently have, and will experience.

"Maturity is the capability to endure uncertainty" ~John Finley

Uncertainty isn't something we should fear - it's something we should explore. That's how we learn and grow into the mature adults we strive to be. I look forward to learning and growing in the professional world alongside you all.

Thanks for reading! Nina Joung
Class of 2018