7 Ways to Make the Most of Sophomore Year ...

1. Choose Your Schedule Wisely

Colleges might cut you some slack in freshman year, since it’s your first year. But by sophomore year, they expect you to hit the ground running! If you want to impress your top choice schools, the process begins sophomore year. In order to make the most of sophomore year, choose your schedule wisely, with a challenging course load, but not one so heavy that you break under the pressure.

2. Study Hard

Once you’ve chosen that challenging schedule, it’s time to study up! If you take Advanced Chemistry sophomore year, that doesn’t mean anything unless you do the work to earn a good grade in the class. Form a study group, ask your teacher questions, and read through your text book. Do whatever it takes (besides cheating!) to earn the grade you want!

3. Be a Leader

Hopefully during freshman year you began experimenting with various clubs and found a few you would like to stick with. Once you settle on one or two clubs you’re really passionate about, it’s time to start running for leadership positions. Becoming an officer of a club, such as president, vice president, or treasurer will impress colleges when you apply, as well as give you great experience leading others!

4. Challenge Yourself

As I said, it’s easy to choose difficult courses and fail them. It’s not so easy to challenge yourself to do your best, and not just in school. Challenge yourself to keep up with extracurricular and volunteer work. It seems like a lot to handle now, but challenging yourself gives you a strange, energetic feeling that will drive you to accomplish more and more!

5. Go out

So now you're thinking “Wow, this Sabrina must be a real stick in the mud!” Don’t worry though, I know that having fun is almost as important as doing well in school! So don’t stay at home studying all weekend every weekend; go out with your friends or invite them over. What really makes memories is having fun, not earning As, although earning good grades is important! Just remember to let loose sometimes, but be safe and think wisely.

6. Pursue Your Passions

Maybe all of your life you’ve been the jock, or the nerd, or the cheerleader. But maybe deep down you’re a poet, or an ice skater, or a theater geek! Whatever your passion is, pursue it! Forget about what others will think when you change your mind; you reserve every right to change your mind as much as you please! Life is too short, especially in high school, to do anything other than pursue your passions.

7. Avoid Drama

Oh, drama. Sophomore year and drama sort of go hand in hand. In freshman year, everyone is a little too timid to stir up that much drama, and later on, everyone is too focused on graduating. But during sophomore year, drama, gossip, and rumors abound. Do your best to avoid drama, even if it’s your best friend who started it all. Just let it simmer down and move on with your life!

Sophomore year is an important year and should be taken seriously. But at the same time, you should have tons of fun and enjoy this period of personal growth. What about sophomore year excites you the most?