Sophomore Survival Guide: Chapter 2

Written by Maureen Lynch

Sophomores, we are starting our second semester this year, and I still feel like I am just starting to get used to college life. And, judging on the crazy couple of years we have had, I’m guessing most of my peers are probably feeling the same way. With the mounting pressures of school, not to mention working out how to have a successful college experience during a pandemic, I thought I would add a second installment to my sophomore survival guide I started last semester. Hopefully, this list will help you think about what you want to do this semester, and maybe even provide a roadmap for what to do next.

4. Start looking for opportunities.

If you are like me, you like to plan ahead. In my opinion, planning ahead gives a sense of structure to what comes next, even when things don’t always go according to plan. So, this semester, I want to encourage you guys to go out and look for opportunities for the future. If you were thinking about applying for an internship for example, start looking now. Most places that will take on interns have application deadlines before the start of March, so it is important to start the search if you want to do a summer internship.

According to an article on mentalfloss.com, a great way to start is to investigate job fairs or talk to someone in the field. Our college and career center is a great place to find contacts, whether it be through a program or a counseling session. They can help you find an opportunity that fits your ideal future job and will help you refresh your resume. Basically, they are your one stop shop for all things future. If you are interested in contacting the career center, I would contact Shannon Curtis in the CDIC. Her office is in Alumni Hall, Room 026.  

And, even if you don’t know yet what you want to do, look around and see if there is something that interests you. Find a volunteer organization or start looking for a job if you don’t already have one. I find that experience is what leads you towards what you love. It gives you the chance to explore and rule out ideas until you find one that is the right fit. So please, don’t procrastinate on this, start searching for your next opportunity!

5. Keep going!

What I mean when I say keep going is not to “hang in there,” I mean that you should keep doing what you are doing. Keep up with healthy habits that you formed last semester. Keep going to your favorite spot-on campus to study, keep going to the gym at that weird time, keep eating salads, just keep up those good practices. I find that at the start of every semester, I lose track of the healthy habits I have picked up over the years in the shuffle of moving back in and starting classes. But it is important to keep those going because they help you stay sane.

Tried and true is that way for a reason. According to thrive global.com, habits are the foundation of life because you become your habits. If you are constantly taking care of yourself, you are going to always feel cared for and happy. So, if you feel panicky about the start of the semester, start to think about keeping up with your good habits and work on how to get them into your schedule.

6. Fix what you can.

I’m a big believer in changing things that are not working. So, if you fell into some bad patterns last semester, maybe take a minute to figure out what went wrong. I find that reflection is something that is helpful when looking forward. For example, last semester I fell into the habit of staying up past midnight to then turn around and wake up for 8:00. Most nights I got less than five hours of sleep and it wore me down. This semester, I am hoping (fingers crossed) to break that habit.

According to an article on newsinhealth.nih.gov, a good way to start is to begin to become aware of the bad habits. From there you can figure out a way to break the cycle. For example, I am going to start trying to avoid screens before bed because I usually stay up scrolling on my phone. If you didn’t like something you were doing last semester, try and change it! It’s a simple idea, but sometimes those are the ones I always must remind myself of.

Last semester, we had Sophomore Rewind to help ease us into the swing of things. This semester, sophomores do not have a special event just for the class, but you should take advantage of CAB’s Welcome Back week. According to ads there is going to be a lot of free food that I for one am going to take advantage of. I hope to see you there.

In the meantime, keep you heads up sophomores.