Sophomore surge!

I know most of the readers of this blog, like myself not too long ago, are probably thinking about where they want to go to college and what their freshman year will be like. So it probably makes sense that before last year, I had never heard of the sophomore slump before. What the what?

Sophomore slump is the phenomenon of second-year college students struggling to stay motivated and engaged in school. To be honest, I was a little worried about experiencing it going into this year. Even though I’m only two months in, I’m so glad to say that   I’m experiencing a sophomore surge! This year has been great!

In general, I’m feeling so much more engaged in my schoolwork. Whatever I’m working towards with my education at Vassar, though still vaporish and foggy, seems increasingly tangible and real to me now than it did last year. For one, I’ve decided on my major (doubling in International Studies and French with a correlate in Economics). Writing my International Studies major proposal (multidisclipinary majors sometimes require them) and turning it in last week really helped me define and solidify my academic goals that I want to achieve before I graduate.

And, even though it’s still October, I’ve also been thinking about studying abroad. Many students at Vassar will spend a semester or the full academic junior year abroad, what we call JYA. And, even after attending a JYA mixer earlier this evening with seniors who went abroad last year, a lot of reflection has led me to be 99% sure that I’m JYStaying! As someone who has been diagnosed with Rampant Indecision (but really), it feels so good to be slowly and kind of surely make some decisions!

It’s definitely been difficult–my workload is a lot more difficult and days are still pretty busy. But, the time I find to go to a lecture or spend with friends is that much more enjoyable. Last week, the Econ department hosted a teach-in on the economic issues of the political campaign that had one of our bigger lecture halls packed. Also, last Thursday night, even though I had a paper due the next day that I hadn’t quite finished (yolo!/carpe diem!), some friends and I went to see “Perks of Being a Wallflower!” It takes some reflection, a lot tough decision making, and a few doses of spontaneity, but thus far, there’s no slump in sight!