Sophomore slump – we’ve all heard of it at some point in our lives. We’ve either experienced it or heard horror stories about what was to come when we got to our second year of high school.
My name is Isabel Bruner, and I am currently experiencing a sophomore slump. And I know for a fact I am not the only one.
Freshman year felt like a new start! Everything was new and so exciting! Every day, you look forward to new events like clubs, sports, competitions, pep rallies, upcoming dances, and the independence you will have for the rest of your high school career. Freshman year is an opportunity to discover who you are, build new friendships, and have the freedom to be who you want to be!
As freshman year flew by, rumors of “sophomore slump” appeared. The sophomore slump was described as draining, burnout, unmotivated, overwhelming, and even called it the worst year of high school.
When I heard this terrible, horrifying news, I didn’t believe this could happen to me until it did.
At first, I thought sophomore year would be just as exciting as my first year of high school. Soon, I was going to be driving, starting the sports season again and getting back into my old routine of fun. But soon that joy faded. Classes seemed tougher, there was a new, higher expectation, friends grew apart, sports became overwhelming, and the thought of what I want for my future started to be questioned consistently. I felt like I had to figure out everything in the moment. Everything was so unknown and everything was changing so quickly. I found myself pushing myself along every day and afraid of what would happen if I didn’t find a solution to every problem I had.
Sophomore year was not only challenging academically but also mentally. As a student athlete, I found it harder to find time for school work, friends, family, and personal alone time. Everything was overwhelming. I wanted to do everything but I was so mentally exhausted. I felt like I could never catch my breath. I was so burned out from my repetitive routine and so uncertain about what my future could hold if I didn’t keep it up.
It is so hard to balance school, social life, relationships, self-care, and so many other things all at the same time. I’ve always been the person to hold myself to really high standards. I am sure we all have standards for ourselves. Some might be higher than others, but for me, my standards seemed almost impossible to meet because of how perfect I wanted to be. My high standards and expectations set me into a sophomore slump. I became drained, burned out, unmotivated, overwhelmed, and I would like to think this is the worst year of high school so far.
Something I have slowly figured out is that I need to be okay with not being perfect all of the time. No one is perfect. I don’t have control over what happens to me. The only thing I can control is how I react and how hard I try. Everything that happens to us is so unpredictable. We have no power over our grades, how good we play, other people’s actions or the past and future. But we do have power over our own effort, attitude, and response. Learning to accept that you can’t control results will free you from anxiety and overwhelming feelings.
Another thing I figured out is I am not doing this alone. Many other students have gone through the same thing, and honestly, everyone is going through a phase. Freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. Everyone is going through something!
Senior Hannah Schwab brought to my attention that there are little sayings and labels for every year of high school and that every year of high school has its ups and downs. She mentioned the freshman fifteen, sophomore slump, junior jitters, and senioritis. Schwab said, “I have had the sophomore slump the entirety of high school, and I have had senioritis the entirety of high school; nothing changes because of the name of the grade.” Those labels just show that high school can be difficult, but there is still an upside. Challenges don’t last forever but the lesson does.
We all face challenges, but how we come out of those trials depends on who we have helping us through. Senior Hali Stokes reflected on her past sophomore year and encouraged high school students to live in the movement and enjoy the moments God gave them. Stokes said she would’ve told her sophomore self to chase her dreams and not let the obstacles surrounding herself affect her from achieving her goals. Stokes shared, “social pressures or societal norms pressure you into being someone you’re not. We don’t want to look like the world, we want the world to look at us and wonder why we are different.”
Stokes mentioned how she struggled in her high school career and had so many regrets. She wished she had lived in the moment and taken a stand for what she believed in. Stokes also mentioned that it is okay to make mistakes. “It is what you do with those mistakes that is most important.” Stokes concluded with, “ -if you are struggling in any type of capacity, reach out to someone older and ask for advice, but don’t go searching for the things you want to hear. Look for someone honest who will tell you when you are messing up. Live, laugh, and make every moment count.”
