How to avoid the sophomore slump

The ‘sophomore slump’ is a term commonly applied to the feeling second year students get when returning to college. Evenings out start to feel very routine, classes aren’t as engaging, and the novelty of college begins to wear off. If you have ever felt this way, do not fret—there are several ways out. Here are some strategies for avoiding the sophomore slump:

Try new restaurants

Pizza might have been great four nights a week last year, but now it just taste bland. To really ‘spice’ up your night, take advantage of all the great restaurants campus has to offer.

Talk to an advisor

College advisors do much more than create schedules. Talking to a professional can help you develop new strategies and exciting plans for the future.

Study

While you might feel like you know how to handle your work after a year of classes, do not slack off. Just because you got a perfect grade in English 101 without really trying doesn’t mean you will ace ECO 401 without really trying.

Take classes outside of your major

No matter how much you love your major, so much of the same is not a good thing. If you have room in your schedule, take classes on topics of interest. Who knows, you might develop a passion for a new subject.

Get involved

Freshman year can be very overwhelming. Adjusting to college life might hold you back from joining different organizations your first year. Once sophomore year comes around and life seems more static, add some clubs to your schedule.

Branch out

If you made amazing friends your first year of college, remember those friends will always be there for you. Don’t be scared to meet new people.  The person you least expect can end up being your best friend.

Read a new book or watch a new show

Although this may seem very simple and not too exciting, watching or reading something new can help you out of the sophomore slump. Plus, you never know who you can share your love of books or shows with.

Every second of the day won’t always be exciting—which is just fine. Remember how lucky you are to be getting a college education and what a wonderful time of your life this is.