4 Essential Things to Think About Before Sophomore Year

By   |  June 26, 2010

Sophomore year can be a challenging time for a college student. Suddenly the classes are getting harder and you no longer have the excuse of “only being a freshman” when you forget to turn in homework assignments or don’t show up to class. With so much going on during the year it is important to think about some big questions before the year starts:

  1. What classes did you like the best freshman year? Are these the same things that you enjoyed in high school? Deciding your major is a big part of what happens sophomore year. Taking time over the summer to evaluate where your interests lie can save you a lot of time and heartache later. If you know that you don’t like biology but were planning to be pre-med, it might be time to re-evaluate.
  2. What did you bring to college last year and never use? What were the items that you found you needed but didn’t bring Sophomore year often holds a myriad of options for housing, whether off-campus or in dorms, and having a good packing list before heading off to school is helpful. Last minute Wal-mart runs are stressful and time-consuming!
  3. Do you want a job in the fall? What jobs are open on campus? Freshman year is a transition period and it can be difficult to handle a job during the adjustment. By sophomore year, you should have a good idea of what your schedule can handle and if you feel that a job will fit into your week now is the time to start looking! There are often a lot of jobs available right on campus (ex. in the library, at the athletic center, tutoring for a department) but these jobs tend to be highly coveted. If you decide you want a job on campus over the summer you can get a jump-start on applying for the positions before everyone returns to campus in the fall!
  4. Do you want to study abroad? With everything that is going on sophomore year it is easy to let this one slide through the cracks. A lot of colleges have study abroad fairs during the first few weeks of classes; these fairs are most helpful when you’ve already decided the general area of the world you want to go to (ex. Africa? Eastern Europe?). The decision should be a joint one between you and whomever is paying your tuition bill so it’s much easier (and much less painful) to do at home over the summer when you can gage the ‘rents mood!

If you have a rough outline of your plan for the fall before you get to campus, your year will be a lot less stressful and you’ll be able to concentrate on classes…..and other things!

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4 Comments on “4 Essential Things to Think About Before Sophomore Year”  (RSS)

  1. These celebrities do have many people that follow them. I mean lets be honest here. To be able to make every fan feel special is not their job. Ok, maybe through their music and that should be the best way. I don’t think they intend to ignore anybody, but at their level of success, I don’t blame them.

  2. Good article, College Times!

    This is definitely informative.

    But, one thing I hate mostly about Sophomores is that they wait till their Sophomore year to select a major.

    That’s ignorant to me. It wastes money and time.

    Just my thoughts.

    -O’Neal

  3. There are plenty of things to think about in your first few years in college. One piece of advice I like to give students is from Dr. Stephen R. Covey, “Beginning with the end in mind.”

    Elective selections, student activities, work-study programs and internships throughout college can help bolster your first resume and job application upon graduation. I just posted a blog about this today at guerrillaeducaton.net for those wanting more information.

  4. Along with these great tips for new Sophomores it is important for students to intern or shadow an individual in the career area that they are deciding on entering after freshman year.

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