What sophomore year taught me

In the folk use of Greek terms, “sophomore” translates to “wise fool”—and this could not be a more accurate summary of my second year at Wake Forest. While I thought I was “wise” from my test-run of college life freshman year, sophomore year brought a whole new set of challenges and setbacks that I could never have imagined, both academic and personal.

However, emerging from this awkward stage of college, here’s what I’ve learned.

Your freshman friends are not necessarily your “forever” friends 

In my first year at university, I made some quick friendships that I thought would be those long-lasting ones people say you’ll find in college. Say goodbye to high school friendships, and hello to mature adult ones right? Nope.

Sophomore year taught me that your social group is fluid; sometimes people come and go, but the important few will stay.

It’s okay to be alone

This one was a hard lesson for me to learn, but honestly one of the most invaluable. Fresh out of a break up, and entering into the hook-up centric underground of Wake life, I felt the pressure to either give in, or try to seek out the precious few who wanted a serious relationship. However, I did neither.

I decided to try this whole “dating myself” thing, and it actually turned out to be more rewarding than any relationship or one-night-stand could ever be. I learned a lot about myself, my standards, and my self worth.

It’s all about networking

I entered college with a focus on getting As in class and maintaining that 3.5 or above GPA. When I began sophomore year, switching my potential major twice, I asked some seniors and professors what their biggest advice would be—and lo and behold, it had nothing to do with grades. Instead, sophomore year and beyond is the time to market yourself to the career world through internships, interviews, and interactions. The first step? Make a LinkedIn account—small but effective.

Communicate—people aren’t mind readers

This took me a long time to realize, but finally, midway through sophomore year it clicked. If I wanted something, I needed to ask for it. Whether this was asking for an extension on a paper, setting boundaries in a relationship, or settling issues in a friendship. If you don’t communicate, you can’t assume the person on the other end psychically knows.