The Sophomore Slump
There is a popular term used in sports called the “sophomore slump.” It refers to a player’s performance during their second season of play. Often times, players have tremendous “rookie” seasons and enter into the following season with massive expectations placed upon their shoulders. The fans, the media, and fellow players all expect the rookie superstar to follow up his or her first season with an even greater showing. With so much excitement and anticipation for the upcoming year, many players seemingly fail to live up to the incredible pressures of performance and fall into a “sophomore slump.”
I haven’t yet met one person who did not enjoy their freshman year of college. From in-state schools like Georgia and Georgia Tech to schools I’ve never heard of half way across the country, everyone I know, including myself, had a blast. Everything we did and everywhere we went was a new experience. We explored countless areas of involvement and forged genuine relationships along the way. We were challenged academically and learned how to balance life in a new city. By the end of the year, it seemed like we had the “college thing” all figured out. For me, just thinking about the following year got me fired up. I had established my career at UGA and soon it would be time to take it to a whole new level of engagement.
Coming off a remarkable year of exploration and growth, it’s easy to fall into a sophomore slump. We’ve seen it all and we know what’s out there. We’ve got a solid feel for the school and have built trusted friendships. The excitement for this school year could not be greater. The expectations could not be higher. Now what? Will this year be all that it is expected to be? Can it live up to the hype?
Here are three simple thoughts I have on avoiding a sophomore slump as we press on into our college careers.
1) Build the house.
Last year, we were simply trying to figure it all out. We soaked up all of the new experiences and began laying the groundwork for the next four years. Now, the foundation is set. It’s time to jump in and start building. I think this starts by adding value to the areas in which we invest our time. By spending well-intentioned time adding value to each area of our college career, we begin building upon the foundation that we laid down the previous year. The more we can serve others and engage ourselves in the avenues that align with our strengths and passions, the more we add value and create positive impact. We’ve set a firm foundation for ourselves, now let’s build this thing up!
2) Narrow the focus.
Many times, particularly at larger schools, the challenge is pinpointing the specific areas that we want to wholeheartedly invest in. With so many newfound opportunities, narrowing our focus down to a few key areas can be difficult and we risk spreading ourselves too thin. Even after a year of exploration, I have had to step back and evaluate the few areas to which I truly want to commit my time and energy. When we tighten down our focus on what matters most, we eliminate the extraneous noise and distractions that slow down the building process. I believe that the more we reduce these distractions, the more successful we will be in creating an environment that fosters productive building.
3) Work hard.
Sophomore year is harder. That seems to be the general consensus from everyone including myself. At the end of the day, thoughts 1 and 2 cannot take us very far without a strong work ethic. For those that seek to impact the campus in a positive way, we ought to give nothing less than our best. Have fun and find a balance, but make the most of these next three (maybe four) years.
The original Greek meaning of the word sophomore is “wise fool”- what an ironic compound that we describe ourselves with. Perhaps it is because we think we have it all figured out when, in reality, we have just started building.
Question: How do you plan to make an impact this school year?
