After midyear exams ended a few weeks ago, I did a celebratory jig, breathed a deep sigh of relief, and then took a nap. No, really- between those intense study sessions and seemingly never ending list of extracurriculars, sophomore year is a lot more tiring than I had originally anticipated.
I’ve always thought of sophomore year as the weirdly ambiguous in-between stage of one’s high school career. The first hurdles of adjusting to a new school in freshman year are over, and it doesn’t seem to have the same rushed, super important feel as that of junior or senior year (Yikes! Transcripts and college applications!). Make no mistake, though- this particular year still holds much weight in planning for college.
So why specifically is sophomore year so different from freshman year?
- It’s just harder- This is really a no-brainer, but I’ll dedicate one of these awesome bullets to it anyway. Teachers are less patient when it comes to late or incomplete assignments; the “…but I didn’t understand it!” excuse rarely works anymore. Be prepared for a really significant increase in workload if you’re enrolled in AP or honors level classes. While I breezed through most courses last year with straight A’s, I’ve had to put a lot more effort into my work this year.
- Busy, busy, busy- Even students previously involved with activities outside of academics may note how these can pile on during the year. Add a sport into the mix (I’m a cross country runner) and you have an effective method for complete insanity! Don’t worry, though. All of your efforts will pay off when you dazzle colleges with your superb repertoire of involvement!
- More opportunity for leadership- Fortunately, all of the activities mentioned in the aforementioned bullet allow for more leadership opportunity. No longer a shy and awed freshman, it’s easier to step up to positions that require speaking out and organizing amongst peers. I worked up the courage to apply or run for positions in smaller activities and even ran for class president.
- Extra planning is required- At my school, our guidance counselors are often swamped with schedule requests and planning for seniors throughout most of the year. Especially with SATs and scholarship contest deadlines approaching, I’ve had to learn to research elements of the college planning process on my own. As I approach the halfway mark of high school (time flies, doesn’t it?) I hope to be on top of planning and researching for college.
- Freedom at last!- It makes sense that the older one gets in their teenage years, the more freedom is rewarded. A few teachers of mine actually allow extensions on deadlines when planning ahead, and pressure is minimized. I enjoy making decisions on my own rather than constantly having an authority figure hovering over, and I’m sure this will only improve as high school progresses.
Despite hectic days and difficult work, I really am enjoying my sophomore year and how it differs from previous ones. It’s not quite as easy as being a freshman, but I also hope to enjoy this period of time before the more challenging times ahead. If you’re a sophomore at the current time, I can only advise you to work as hard as you can while cherishing your high school time as much as possible… I’m sure the rest of high school will fly by.
Filed under: High School Life
