Freshman have something new to look forward to. Juni0rs have the tough task of making a name for themselves through internships. And seniors have new experiences to look forward to. But where does that leave sophomores? The sophomore slump is something that takes many colleges and universities by storm. The sophomore slump is when the second year students don’t live up to the standards of the first effort. It is as if sophomores are the forgotten.
Often during the second year of college students lose that excitement of further education. Students feel as though they can not do the “college thing” anymore. They lose their passion and become bored with the routine of waking up, going to class, writing papers and taking tests. The sophomore slump however does not end there. Students often feel that extra-curricular activities are a waste of time.
Cabrini sophomores Anna Bacovin and Joey Rettino have a completely different outlook on their sophomore year of college. They don’t believe in the sophomore slump.
“People who cannot handle the college life is where the sophomore slump comes from,” Rettino said. As Bacovin agreed with him, they both believe the sophomore slump is just another excuse for people to use.
Often times, freshman come in with the idea that college is party city. Sophomore Justin Rawlings believes that sophomore year is just his beginning. “Last year a lot of people played around and did not always put their education first before partying,” Rawlings said. For students like Rawlings sophomore year is that fresh start into the college life because they have experienced the “fun” side of college– and now it’s their time to start cracking down on work.
Stress seems to be the easiest way to describe the sophomore slump. But looking at a wider range of things, all college students experience some level of stress. For freshman, it is the stress of making a name for themselves. Sophomores have to clean up their mistakes from freshman year. Juniors have to build their resume so they are prepared for senior year. Seniors have to figure out if they want to begin their career or further their education.
College is the stepping stone towards a career. The sophomore slump is often experienced by individuals who were asked to try college by parents or the influence of friends. Being away from your normal routine, friends and family may also contribute to the sophomore slump. To an extent the sophomore slump is created by an individuals efforts or the lack thereof. Many colleges are trying to find ways to decrease the percentage of sophomores leaving college. They do this by offering guidance as early as a first semester freshman year. Other ways in which schools try to help end the sophomore slump is trying to get students involved. Give a ways and opportunities are definitely a plus to students who are starting to “lose interest” in college. The big question still remains: Is the sophomore slump real or is it just an excuse to be lazy?
