If you’ve been involved in the college process, two of the biggest moments might have been getting your acceptance letter and receiving your diploma on graduation day. College might have been exciting the first year. You took classes that taught you basic skills you would need for higher level classes and you were also encouraged to register for classes just because they sounded interesting. You lived away from home, met new and diverse people, and had more independence than ever before.
However, after the hype of freshmen year started wearing off, things you wouldn’t have known how to prepare for started happening. You talked to your high school friends less and less, only saw your family on the holidays, and started feeling the pressure of choosing a major sophomore year. You were as prepared as you could be for freshmen year after hearing everyone’s advice and attending orientation. And you have dreamt of the day you get to put your hard-earned degree to work, but did you ever learn how to get from point A to point B? Were you warned about the “sophomore slump”?
The “sophomore slump” refers to the feelings students get when the reality of their environment replaces the excitement for it, according to a recent Denver Post article by Sheba Wheeler. In the article, the following situations are listed as contributing to feelings of academic and social anxiety:
- More demanding schedules
- Upper-level classes
- Choosing a major or career path
- Finding their place on campus
- Questioning identity
- Financial uncertainty
So, how can students prepare for the unexpected?
LifeBound’s Majoring in the Rest of Your Life gives students the guidance they need to keep every year full of the same excitement of freshmen year and keep them on track to graduate. Students will learn about themselves, their options in the future, best study practices, the importance of taking an internship, dealing with social pressures, networking, landing a job, and much more.
Students might change their major, change schools, struggle in one of their core classes, or find themselves in a troublesome relationship. It’s impossible to prepare for everything that will come with the college lifestyle, but students can learn the habits of successful students and career seekers to make the most out of all of their college years and reach graduation day.
For more information on Majoring in the Rest of Your Life visit us at www.lifebound.com. While you’re there, check out the assessment we have for students to see if they’re on the right track for a successful college career, a sample chapter, and our curriculum available for educators.
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Source:
“The sophomore slump: Is there something colleges can do for second-year students?” By Sheba Wheeler. 2 November 2011. The Denver Post. 2 November 2011. http://www.denverpost.com/lifestyles/ci_19234898
