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?

source

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

source

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

source

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?

source

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

Read More

Find Your Rudder: The Sophomore Slump

By now, we’ve all sunk into our routines for the semester (at least as much as we can in between blizzards), but it’s a particularly vulnerable time for sophomores to sink even further—into malaise or disillusionment. Being a sophomore is like being the forgotten middle child of a college family. No longer coddled by the administration, and entrenched in the fast-paced freshman year “college experience” lifestyle, but not old enough to live in an off-campus apartment or enjoy other seniority privileges, it can be hard for second-year students to maintain their enthusiasm. At Tufts, sophomore year is an especially stressful time – faced with declaring a major, attempting to delineate a career path, applying to study abroad programs, and trying to figure out living arrangements for the next year, it’s easy to get bogged down in the decisions and lose sight of the end goal. I’ve definitely felt the pressure, and I’m willing to bet that I’m not alone on this.

Similar to my reflection on the quarter-life crisis a few weeks ago, here are some of my own thoughts on the sophomore slump, some ways to fight the slump, and the Career Center resources at your disposal.

What is the sophomore slump, exactly? It’s a common phrase that most of us have heard before, and it can be applied to everything from college sophomores to the music and entertainment industries (usually in reference to an unpopular second album or TV season). For our purposes, the sophomore slump refers to the dissatisfaction one feels in their second year with the direction that their college career is heading. Sophomores become less academically engaged, and begin to revert to more passive study habits such as memorization rather than analytical reasoning (these patterns have been studied, and many other patterns have been noted as well -- from increases in time spent socializing to changes in conversation subjects with friends from academic work to personal matters). It’s an unfortunate but pervasive phenomenon; people generally crave stability, but there’s a point where stability feels like drifting in stagnant water.

Me waking up for my 8:30 classes.

Clearly, we would all love to avoid the sophomore slump – but how? A plethora of advice can be found from creditable and questionable sources, but the common theme in all of these nuggets of wisdom is to avoid feelings of boredom or disengagement. Whether it’s joining a new club, strengthening relationships with professors, or making new friends, all suggestions point to proactive change as the cure to the sophomore slump.

A dangerous side effect of the sophomore slump is the development of uncertainty or apathy about your future or career path. When sophomores begin to lose focus on academic activities, a loss in commitment to career development is likely to follow. In fact, one of the most common times for students to drop out of college, a decision that will certainly have repercussions on career planning, is shortly after sophomore year. Luckily, research points to many possible solutions to losing interest in career development, all of which connect with the aforementioned theme of proactive engagement. Sophomores are always encouraged to partake in internships. In addition to gaining valuable skills for a career that you're interested in, an internship is a very reflective experience through which you can learn about yourself, your skills and talents, and the traits in a job or work environment that you find desirable. From personal experience, I can attest to this advice; my internship with the Career Center has made me realize how much I truly enjoy writing, and perhaps I can find a way to work writing into my future career. Another common suggestion is to crystallize relationships with faculty members in your major's department. These relationships will not only come in handy if you ever need a letter of reference, but can potentially be another source of advice for course selection and their field of expertise. Whatever you choose to do with your free time, whether it's seeking an internship, engaging with professors, joining a new on-campus activity, or volunteering somewhere, there are always opportunities to explore, reflect, and avoid going adrift.

A big part of these ideas to avoid the sophomore slump involve
a skill everyone needs: networking.

If you’re looking for another way to avoid the slump, there’s always (you know I’m going to say it) the Career Center! Their website updates constantly with events both on and off campus that you can take advantage of to get a jumpstart on your career planning. There are always events that explore specific career fields, like the recent panels on careers in media and careers that apply French language skills. Specifically for sophomores, the Sophomore Career Seminar is a really informative event that gets you in the right mindset to begin thinking long-term. It happens in the fall, you so may have missed it this year, but if you’re a freshman, keep this in mind for next year (or register here for the upcoming First Year Career Seminar!). Additionally, the Career Center’s class checklists can help you to assess what you’ve done and what you should do by the end of your sophomore year and beyond. It’s not an exact science, but these checklists will certainly put you on the right track. Don’t miss out on these resources available to you in your college years (and beyond).

Like the quarter-life crisis, there’s no surefire way to avoid the sophomore slump. Life has highs and lows, and about 600,000 of them happen when you’re young. As students, we need to not only roll with the punches but take advantage of the opportunity we have to look around at what our options in life are. This is a great privilege afforded to us, and it would be wasteful to squander it. So pull yourself out of that slump, and leap into the big and beautiful rise.

Until next time,

Sean Boyden

Class of 2017

Read More

Creating a Map: The Sophomore Career Seminar

Last Friday, the Career Center held its annual Sophomore Career Seminar, a 3-part lecture series that targets, as you might have guessed by the title, sophomore students. As I mentioned in my introductory post, sophomore year is a critical time for Tufts students – between choosing a major, keeping up with classes, trying to avoid the infamous sophomore slump, and attempting to relax once in a while, it can be hard to pay attention to career development. But, one of the main themes throughout the seminar was that it is never too early to start the planning process. Through workshops in self-assessment, resumes and cover letters, and internships and networking, the Sophomore Career Seminar helped the dozens of sophomores that actually got up on a Friday morning for a reason other than class (wait, what?) to put this whole “career” thing into perspective. Here’s a quick run-down of the day:

Self-Assessment

The first hour of the seminar, led by Nicole Anderson, was dedicated to self-assessment and its applications to choosing a major and exploring possible careers. Most of the sophomores in the room raised their hands when Nicole asked if anyone had declared yet, but a good portion of us (yes, I include myself) still had yet to do so. Nicole showed us the many resources that the Career Center offers for students who are unsure of their major or career path. These resources, many of which are based in psychology, analyze your personality traits and provide lists of careers in which people similar to you have reported job satisfaction. (Check out Nicole [Brooks]’s recent post for more details on self-assessment!) The most important piece of advice that Nicole gave, I thought, was the importance of reflection and discussion after receiving the results of these assessments. Whether it’s a career counselor, friend, parent, or alum, talking to people can give you a lot of information. It’s also important to process the results and give them ample consideration. In many cases, these tests will reaffirm things you already knew about yourself, but some results may surprise you. After completing a section of Focus 2, a Career Center self-assessment tool, some of the results I received included clinical psychologist, aerospace engineer, and attorney. Although I’ve never really considered any of these careers, I’m going to think about what connects them, and how they match my personality. I might discover an entirely new career that’s perfect for me!

Resumes and Cover Letters

The next section focused on resume building and cover letters. Led by Chris DiFronzo, a well-hydrated career counselor with experience as a hiring manager, I found this portion of the seminar to be the most informative, mainly because I never knew how much thought can really go into a resume. Chris elaborated on resume/CV do’s and don’t’s that I never would have even considered, but have dramatic effects on the fate of your application. These do's and don't's included:

·         -Think results, not responsibilities. Chris encouraged quantification of job descriptions. It’s great that you answered phones at your job as an assistant in the Career Center, but how does an employer know if you answered the phone 4 times a day or 40 times an hour? It’s much more descriptive and impressive to say “handled 400 customer inquiries”.

·         -Ask yourself, “So what?” after each bullet you write. It’s important to keep relevant information on your resume that highlights your skills and leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Cut out unnecessary information to make room for more tantalizing details!

·        - Don’t be too generic. This is a major piece of feedback the Career Center receives from employers when it comes to writing cover letters. Giving specific examples that prove your abilities instead of simply listing your characteristics will go a long way. Keep this in mind the next time you’re struggling with the scary idea of a cover letter.

Chris gave the example of "went to Antarctica to save the penguins" as clearly demonstrating
your determination and devotion to purpose, which is much more effective that simply saying that
you're "determined and devoted".

Internships and Networking

The last part of the seminar was all about internships and networking, possibly two of the scariest words ever for young college students. Networking? Talking to adults? Being a functional human being? Who would ever want to do any of that when Netflix exists? But, as Jim McCarthy, the director of this workshop, explained, the more effort you put into an internship search, the higher payoff you’ll get. You’ll find far more meaningful results if you try to network with alumni, family friends, or other professionals than if you simply Google the word “internship”. If you’re utterly lost and confused, the Career Center website is, as always, a great place to start. Resources like Jumbo Jobs, LACN, and the Tufts Alumni Network are invaluable resources in finding internship listings and networking with alumni. Another important point in the presentation was staying organized – don’t let application deadlines sneak up on you, and don’t let opportunities pass you by. Most of all, don’t lose track of where you’ve applied and accept an internship, only to have an even better offer come along.

They'll be there for youuu.... (If you don't know by now, I'm a
huge Friends fan.)

Although this is the “1000 words or less” version of the day, the Sophomore Career Seminar was, as you can see, a hugely informative experience. If nothing else, it definitely got me thinking about my plans for next semester, the summer, and my life after I leave the hill. If you’re a current freshman, be sure to check out the seminar next year. Or, if you’re an upperclassman and you already missed the seminar, don’t fret – the Career Center is ALWAYS there for you!

Until next time,

Sean Boyden

Class of 2017

Read More