Transitions from Freshman to Sophomore
By Patrick Stack, D. Min., LMFT, LPC, NCC, CASAC
Director of Counseling and Life Development

If you think your work as encourager, cheerleader, and emotional supporter are over, think again. Sophomore year can be the most difficult to endure. Have you ever heard of the “Sophomore Jinx” or “Sophomore Slump?” Many good reasons exist for explaining student’s difficulty with the sophomore year.

First, the excitement and the newness of the freshman year have ended. The “freshness” of freshman year is over. Most of the students will eagerly admit the freshman year went by very quickly. Yet these same students will have difficulty acknowledging the sophomore year went by just as quickly. Hey, this is a good example of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity; although I don’t think all of our sophomore students are open to learning that lesson.

A second reason explaining the difficulty of the sophomore year is the “limbo factor.” In other words, sophomore students are caught between the past excitement of the freshman year and the unparalleled excitement of the junior year. Is there excitement associated with the junior? Sure! Not only does the typical junior buckle down with the courses of his or her major, but there is LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL! Not so in the sophomore year. There seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel.

A third factor to consider about the sophomore year is “same old, same old.” Our daughters and sons live in a fast paced changing world. When I have asked students the relevance of the four cardinal virtues, they tell me it will be a long and hot summer in St. Louis because the Cardinals stink. I gently remind them that the four cardinal virtues were created by the ancient Greeks and there is plenty of relevance for the modern student. The four cardinal virtues are prudence (wisdom), justice (fairness), courage (being honest with yourself), and temperance (moderation). While they may seem to be in a monotonous routine in the sophomore year because they know everything about Webster University that they could, they should explore deeper and find new opportunities for growth.

What can we do to assist our students with the sophomore year? Prepare them by communicating potential challenges such as the above mentioned. In this process, use a little sense of humor. I remind students that when I find myself in a challenging situation I frequently say, “thank goodness this isn’t a life sentence!” Can you imagine if anyone of us was sentenced for the rest of our natural life as a SOPHOMORE?…mercy (which by the way was not one of the cardinal virtues).

Remind your student that the sophomore year will really and truly come to an end. Remember, however, that prophets are never accepted in their own homeland. So if your daughter or son doesn’t listen to you, you can suggest they use the resources available on campus. There are faculty members, student affairs staff, peer educators, professional counselors, academic support, and maybe a friendly member of the custodial staff with whom your student can speak. If your sophomore daughter or son speaks with me or a member of my staff, we will most likely tell them what you would have said, except we won’t tell them that you would have said the same thing… until they are a junior!

It is also helpful gently reminding our students they are not alone. Your son or daughter is not the only sophomore experiencing a slump. Encourage him or her to seek support from fellow students, and to keep being involved with campus activities. Also, if you experienced a sophomore slump in college or high school, it may be helpful sharing that experience with you student. Frequently, students discover support and encouragement when hearing about another’s similar sophomore year challenges.

At anytime you are concerned about your student and want to speak to me, feel free to contact me at 314-968-7030 or e-mail stackpa@webster.edu.