Still Standing After Sophomore Slump

TRUTH! source

It wasn't until the end of this semester when I was sitting in the Career Center's office reflecting on every tough decision I had this spring that I realized I was going through the sophomore slump.

Family, friends, academics, career--these all became connected points of pain and progress throughout the year. However, when I think about it, this time of frustration and subsequent self-reflection can hit anyone at anytime--freshman, junior, or senior year. So whether you have gone through the slump and survived, are going through it now, or feel you may never have to, I hope you find some part of this blog post as helpful!

So what is sophomore slump, anyway?

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Most people would say that sophomore slump occurs this year because, for most, it's the first year when reality hits. There's a kind of shiny newness to freshman year that makes everything seem amazing--the new people you meet, the new organizations you join, and maybe a new way you present yourself offers a lot of hope and excitement for the future.

While I'm not saying that all of these things occur to every freshman, there is a level of excitement, hope, and almost a relief that "it's only freshman year"--most freshman aren't expected to have the best GPA, figured out their major, or have an internship at this point.

In that case, what makes sophomore year so pivotal is that some harsh realizations may be setting in. Consider these scenarios:

• You and your friends aren't getting along the same way that you did freshman year
• You're gaining more responsibility in the clubs/organizations you're involved with
• You're regretting some grades you received or classes you took freshman year
• There's more pressure to do something impressive over the summer
• You thought that you'd feel at home on campus by now
• You're confused about your major
• You realize that after this year, you're half-way through college

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Sorry if I bummed you out there, but these are all things that I've grappled with this year and what many sophomores I've spoken to have dealt with to some degree. As you become more critical of your choices, including who you've chosen to spend your time with and what you've chosen to spend your time doing, it's completely understandable to feel frustrated, sad, or anxious during the year, making it harder for you to work on the problems that are affecting you.

However, these realizations can also be inspiring. After this year, I've been forced to ask myself: what do I want from myself, my friends, and my college experience?

But now, I think it's time to apply this to the career world. During the midst of all this confusion, frustration, and realization, how can you make sure that your professional growth doesn't overwhelm you but empowers you?

Learning to say no

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This was a tough one. As a perpetual "nice person," it's always been difficult for me to turn down an opportunity or say "no" to someone who needed me. However, when thinking about my career decisions in the context of "What do I want from my college experience? Will this really help me and make me happy?" I had to learn to be a little selfish and do what's best for me. Learning to say "no" is a really important skill to help you prioritize what's important and make sure you're not spending time on things/people that maybe aren't worth it.

I needed to put myself and enjoying my time as a higher priority than it normally was if I wanted to continue being involved and working hard.

What makes you happy?

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For me, this is the same way of asking "what are your priorities?" but thinking about it this way helps me way more.

Part of how I learned to finally say no to some things going on in my life was when I asked myself "Am I happy with my college experience right now?" And honestly, between classes, jobs, and being a part of two publications, people definitely weren't seeing a lot of my happy side. With only two years left a Tufts, I decided that I needed to put myself and enjoying my time as higher priorities than they'd normally be, if I wanted to continue being involved and working hard. If anything, sophomore slump taught me that what I really wanted from college was a balance, and I could achieve it if I was a little easier on myself.

There's more than one way to get to where you want to be

THIS may have to be a priority...and I'm okay with that! source

Again, that pesky, threatening realization that I'MHALFWAYDONEWITHCOLLEGEAHHHHH! (*regains composure for beloved readers*)

It's really tempting at this point to keep going on the path that you know will get you from point A to point B--whether that means continuing a major you're bored of, being involved in organizations you want to get out of, or moving up in clubs that you feel hurt more than help you.

However, remember that you always have an opportunity to say no or prioritize what makes you happy, and if that means trying something new, doing something unexpected, or taking a step back--do it! It's not too late to make a DETOUR and take a new course of action. There are so many ways to get that dream job or internship--and in the end, it's important to figure out your own path, and not one that you feel pressured into.

Come on, Junior year! source

In my first blog post, I talked about the etymology of a sophomore being "wise fool." I correctly predicted the difficulty of dealing with the unanswered questions that I would face this year. However, I didn't expect the excitement of being able to make my own decisions and forge my own path.

So thank you sophomore year for (painfully) teaching me these invaluable lessons. It's been a very eventful year not only thinking critically of myself and my decisions, but also being able to cover other students and professionals' success and advice as they navigate the career world. Now that I know that dealing with new decisions and different kinds of change will just be a part of life and moving forward with your career, I *think* I'm ready to take on more--JUNIOR YEAR: LET'S GO!

Thanks for readings!
Nina Joung
Class of 2018