The sophomore slump really hits as midterm season begins.
Motivation is down. Stress is high. Morale is low.
The sophomore slump is a time when students “lack motivation, are indecisive about selecting a major, feel disconnected socially and academically,” according to Cabrini University.
If you want more context on what the sophomore slump is, go check out my article, “The Sophomore Slump: Why Can’t I Just Deal?” It details what the sophomore slump is and how Penn State students feel about it.
But, as the sophomore slump creeps up on unsuspecting second-years, it is important to take a step back and do something to not get swept up in the negativity.
Here are some ways I have been brushing off some of my own fears and stressors.
- Turning off your phone and turning on downtime
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I have found over the last couple weeks that the worst thing for the sophomore slump is sitting on my phone.
Whether it is aimlessly scrolling through Instagram or watching dumb Netflix shows, I always feel worse rotting away on my phone.
My head will hurt. I will feel sleepy and annoyed.
I always sit up or walk away even less motivated than I started.
So, over the last couple of weeks, I have set downtimes on my phone.
The two or three hours between my classes, when I am tempted to go back to my dorm and watch TV, are no longer a problem.
If I block apps like Netflix, Instagram, Snapchat or even my camera roll, I have found that I am way more productive and motivated.
Then, my nights can be devoted into having some fun, taking advantage of chill time or moving onto the next task.
- ranting to my friends
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I think that we do to ourselves a huge disservice by not confiding in our friends.
Many people mistake ranting for trauma dumping or being a burden, but at the end of the day, friendship is all about having each other’s backs.
Turning to your roommate, best friend or partner and telling them of the million little things building up will not show signs of weakness or scare them away. It may even encourage them to open up to you.
When I stress out about living plans for next year, internships for the summers or the mountain of homework I have, I turn to my roommate and feel immensely better.
Even if I am complaining about the most minute detail of my syllabus, getting it off my chest makes me feel a lot better.
- Self Care!!!
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When there are a million little things happening around you, it is easy to get rid of self-care time.
That free time can be devoted to your friends, going out or sleep, but setting aside an hour a week can make you remember that you matter and you are worth it.
This past month, I have felt pressure to fill every moment of my day with homework, extracurriculars or friends.
But, setting aside the tiniest bit of time makes me feel a lot better.
While I would rather do anything else rather than take a bath in a dorm (even if you can find one), there are plenty of things to do.
I have been painting my nails, trying an IPL device, putting on facemasks and even just blow-drying my hair. These little things have reminded me of my self-worth and brightened my day a little.
- taking pride in the little things
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I think this is the thing that has been helping me the most.
So much stress during sophomore year is about the future.
Where am I going to live next year? Am I happy in my major? Should I be getting more extracurricular leaderships? Am I going to get an internship?
As all these stressors go through my head, I find that grounding myself with the little successes really helps.
Instead of spending hours stressing out about whether you are going to fail your exam, think about the quiz you did well on.
When freaking out about your apartment for next year, think about how cool your roommate is.
Instead of letting the million things to do brew in your head, just make a to-do list and be proud you have high expectations for yourself.
- Joining something new and fun
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Anna Thetard / Her Campus I am very notorious for joining clubs that are all work.
I was in Speech and Debate in highschool, so my enjoyment and chill time was just work. Needless to say, I got super burnt out in high school.
So, as the sophomore slump brings questions of whether your resume is good enough, don’t jump into activities that will burn you out.
It is important to join things that peak your professional and academic interests. But, remember that clubs can just be plain-old fun too.
At Penn State, there are so many options for fun things to join.
Workout groups like Chaarg are great for letting off steam.
Club sports like ski club or water polo can create a great sense of community.
Greek life can create new networks of people.
Cultural organizations like SASA can unite people over cultural similarities.
And, a great philanthropy like THON can lead to the most fulfilling feelings in the world.
Joining something that will make you feel good can make a huge difference in your life.
- Doing something chill
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I think there is a pressure to do everything at 100%. But, this is simply not feasible.
Doing a million extracurriculars will just exhaust you, and it will not even fit on your resume.
Reading the entire textbook can hurt you as much as help you on your exams.
Or, going crazy every day at the gym will just make you sore.
The sophomore slump can give us feelings of unworthiness. We are either never doing enough because freshman year we did more, or we did not do enough freshman year.
Either way, it is important to remember that doing the chiller version of certain activities can be a great way to feel productive and still unwind.
I used to go to the gym a lot last year. This year, I have found that I do not have the motivation.
So, I have started going to the free yoga classes in the IM building that Penn State Student Affairs has.
It is still a way to workout, but I do not have to plan my workout, stay in the gym for hours or do constant high-impact workouts.
Another things is utilizing free time. I always jump to watching “Suits” on Netflix, but binging shows is definitely not good for me.
So, instead, I have been casually watch shows while coloring with colored pencils. This way my mind can still be active.
It is OK to not do everything 100%.
We are often expected to do a lot in college, but we are still transitioning into adulthood.
It is important to chill out and not go crazy with every little thing.
- slowing down the party…
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Her Campus Media In college, there is always something to do on the weekends.
Between football games and going out, the weekends can be exhausting.
As a freshman, I remember the pressure of always having to fill the time.
But, I have learned that having a quiet night in is more than OK.
Your friends will not hate you if you do not go out a couple nights or ditch some plans. Sometimes, some serious me-time is more than necessary.
FOMO can be hard to overcome, but I found constantly filling your time will wear you out.
My mother told me that if you are staying in for a night, make the best of it. When she lived in New York City in her 20s, she would get some Chinese food, rent a movie and get into her pajamas on a lazy Friday night. She recounts these nights fondly.
There is no shame in a night in to socially, mentally and emotionally recover.
- Learn for next semester
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As we learn about ourselves sophomore year, it is important to consider these aspects of our lives going into the next semester.
I know I am the type of person to over-commit and bite off more than I can chew.
With this knowledge, I am entering next semester a bit smarter.
Maybe I will take fewer credits or ditch a club.
Or, it may mean that I just need to change my schedule. Try out new clubs and schedule classes for different times.
As I schedule my classes in October for the spring semester, I have faith that I will format a schedule that suits me better.
As the sophomore slump has been dampening my life, I have been using these eight techniques to re-center and embrace the beginning of the year.
Freshman year was fun, exciting and new. Now, we are entering real work, leadership roles, questions of the future and more.
But, even as these responsibilities set in, there is still so much time ahead of us and college has still just begun.