Meet Margaret Anne Shanks. Margaret Anne is a sophomore pre-nursing major from Memphis, Tennessee. In addition to being a parent ambassador, she is also a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. She enjoys going on walks, hiking, and exploring Fayetteville.
Sophomores in college may experience what is called the “sophomore slump”. While some people think that the sophomore slump is not real, it can be very real to some students. The sophomore slump is known as a state of confusion and uncertainty that almost all sophomores go through.
Students have high hopes for sophomore year because freshman year was so fun and new. But now during their second year the newness and excitement of college has worn off and classes have begun to get harder. Things start getting into a routine and daily activities become dull. Sometimes students feel unimportant as sophomores because everyone is excited about the new freshman.
Also a lot more responsibility falls on sophomores. As a sophomore you have to declare a major or at least be thinking about what you want to do with your life. There is also a lot of pressure on students to start looking for internships and jobs to further their career; and in order to get those internships students are looking for activities to stack their resume. Sophomores need to know it is ok to be lost and frustrated. Not everyone knows what their major is or what they are going to do with their life and many students change their majors throughout college.
If academics become a problem during the sophomore slump and become too much for your student they should talk to their academic advisor or visit the career center to explore career options.
The sophomore slump may not happen to your student but if it does there are ways to help get your student get out of it. A great way for students to snap out of the sophomore slump is to get more involved on campus, join a club or get involved with student government. Getting a job, volunteering on campus, or planning a trip with friends are other good ways to get your students mind off everything.
If your student falls into the sophomore slump, don’t fear it is not the end of the world. The sophomore slump is just a phase of their life that will not last forever.