The Sophomore Slump: Your Community

by Arabella Chamberlain

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When fighting off the sophomore slump, you might not realize how important your community is. The people around you, your support and your encouragement can have a big impact on how well you take on the sophomore slump. Getting involved in new things and staying in touch with old friends can truly be a make or break of your year. I've compiled a list below of some of the ways you can get involved on campus and find your place in the COE-mmunity. Clever, right?

Your COE-mmunity:

• Student Senate:  Want to have your voice heard on campus? Come to Senate meetings, Wednesdays 7pm @ Cherry Auditorium, even if you're not a senator. Or be bold and run for a senate seat! This is a great opportunity to meet people from all over campus with a plethora of majors represented. Make the changes you want to see on campus!

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• Greek Life:  Might seem like it's not your thing, but don't knock it til you try it! Here on Coe's campus we have some of the best Greek life. With chapters from 4 sororities and 5 fraternities, there's definitely some place you can call home. 
• Clubs:  Join a club! Coe has an insane number of clubs on campus and they're constantly emailing to remind you about all their events. Just try stopping by a meeting or two. Go to an event you wouldn't normally go to and maybe you'll find something you really like! Take the first step to getting involved and it's easier once you get started.
• Volunteering:  This is such a great way to reach out into the community. Whether on-campus or off, volunteer is not only good for those around you, but good for you! Reach out to local charities and volunteer-based organizations and see how you can help out.



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• Cedar Rapids:  Take advantage of the amazing city we live in and explore Cedar Rapids. There are countless restaurants and shops and things to do in downtown Cedar Rapids. Visit a museum, stop by NewBo city market, shop at Raygun - don't miss out on the hustle and bustle of the city!
• Theatre/Music/Arts:  Speaking of downtown, take a peek at the nightlife. Music and theatre opportunities are abundant in this area. Head to a local show and support some artists. Be on the lookout for upcoming concerts and grab a friend to go! On-campus, there are plenty of things to do too! SAC is constantly bringing in artists to perform and TheatreCoe does amazing works - and in fact, has a show coming up! Get tickets at the box office in Upper Gage.
• Sports:  If you don't already play a sport, Coe has lots of fun intramurals you can join. Get active and get connected at the same time. Get in the team spirit and have fun! Or if you'd rather not be on the field, maybe even just go support friends in sports. Go Kohawks!
• Res Life/Learning Commons:  Don't ignore the resources just waiting there for you to use them. Check out some of the exciting residence life events that the residence life staff work so hard to plan. Or maybe stop by the Learning Commons just to chat with someone and get to know people who can help you succeed when times get rough. 
• Internship/Job/Research:  Maybe you want to get a head start for after graduation. If that's the case, look into a local internship or job. Or maybe find out if any of your professors are doing research you can get involved in. These are good ways to make connections for down the road and helps to get a taste of the professional life.

No matter what way you get involved in the community, just make sure you get involved! The benefits are amazing and a great way to get over that sophomore slump. Find your COE-mmunity!

More Information:
Student Experiences in the Second Year

Do you feel you have a voice on campus?

Absolutely! I can easily express my opinions to my colleagues.

Kinda... Sometimes I think my voice isn't heard.

Not really. I can't easily express my opinions to my colleagues on campus.

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The Sophomore Slump: Your Voice

By Arabella Chamberlain

Have you ever heard of the term "Sophomore Slump"? Some people associate this with sports, others have never even heard of it. But what about in academics? Students on college campuses across the country struggle with their sophomore year of college - why is that? And what can we do to change that? In the following 8-part series, we're going to take a peek behind the "sophomore slump" and how to escape it.

Your Voice:

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Have you ever felt like Ariel, washed ashore with no voice and unable to express your own thoughts and ideas? I'm about to get real philosophical with The Little Mermaid. One of the hardest things students can struggle with during their sophomore year is finding their own identity, figuring out who they are, becoming their "true self." Sounds cheesy, right?

It's true though. Everyone struggles to find themselves at some point, but in particular, angsty college sophomores faced with the crippling pressure of picking a major which could set you on the path to your future career... no biggie though, right? It's completely normal to be a little stressed when faced with this decision.

What can you do though to figure all this out then? Honestly, there's no magic formula or quick-n-easy worksheet to tell you who you are and what you want - if there was things would be pretty boring. But here are a few suggestions to help you find your voice without visiting an evil sea witch who wants to steal your prince.

• Try new things: Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort (sea)shell. Even if you feel like you've missed the boat to try out a new club or take a class in a different topic than you normally take, forget about that! Cast a wide net and just go to one meeting of that club you always thought looked cool, take a intro class to something you know nothing about to fill some Gen. Ed. requirements, and remember it's okay if you don't like it, but you'll never know 'til you try.
• Speak up and reach out: You'll never find your voice if you never use it. If you just live your life as a passive observer, will you ever truly live? Speak up about the things your passionate about. Does something get you fired up to share with others? SHARE WITH OTHERS. Advocate and educate about things that matter to you. Inspire others about the things inspire you. It seems so simple, yet so many of us constantly find ourselves sitting on the sidelines when we could be jumping in and taking the plunge.
• Write up a list of your interests: (Even the ones that seem to have nothing to do with your current major!) Grab a piece of paper and a pencil and start scribbling down things you find interesting until you're swimming in ideas. It can be anything from Biology and Accounting to Star Wars and baking. Try to see if things have any crossover. Can you combine your love of baking and Chemistry? Or what about your passion for writing and Star Wars? (Fan-fiction, here we come...) Figure out what your passionate about. And then...
• Reach out to your advisors and professors: Find out what you can to pursue the things your passionate about. What can you do to include your interests in your education? Don't just pick a major that you think will be easy; pick a major that you know you'll still love years from now. There's an ocean of opportunities awaiting you. You can always learn new things if you change your mind further on down the line, but in this moment, where do you see yourself happy in a few years? Think about that when deciding your major. (And don't feel tied down - There's plenty of other fish in the ocean!)
• Don't be afraid to go against the flow: Last, but most certainly not least, be true to yourself. Life is far too short to spend your time trying to live up to someone else's standards or focus on being someone else, instead of just being unabashedly YOU. Live your life, not someone else's life. Do the things that make you happy, inspire you, drive you. Follow your dreams - who cares if you don't have a road map? Make your own.

I know this may not help some of you, but to be perfectly honest, I don't have it all figured out either. Hopefully though, this offers some ideas to get you started, but I can't figure it all out for you. Only you can decide who you are, never forget that. If you didn't notice, I'm the kind of person who brings up The Little Mermaid once and then spends an entire article sneaking in water puns. Perhaps not all of you appreciated that, but so what? Cry me a river. Always be true to yourself.

More Information:
Student Experiences in the Second Year: Advancing Strategies for Success Beyond the First Year of College

Have you got it all figured out and you know exactly who you are?

Absolutely! I've got it all together. (Give me a call. I need tips.)

Kinda... Sometimes I don't know who I am.

Not really. I can't decide what outfit to wear in the morning - I have no idea who I am.

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Declaring a major: What am I doing with my life?

It can be daunting when one realizes that you don't go to college just for the friends and the weekends. In fact, sometimes it might even feel like, "what's the point of college anyhow?" This is a valid feeling especially after you pour yourself into class after class and you start to wonder what for.

Me, not fine with deciding my future: Photo Credit

Then, sophomore year hits.

"Declare a major," they said. "It'll be fun," they said.

But is it really? One of the biggest decisions of your life and "it'll be fun." I doubt that. Choosing a major is pretty intense to be honest. It's like saying "when I grow up, I wanna be" - *insert childhood dream* but instead of your parents reassuring you and saying you can achieve your dreams, they rip off the bandage and tell you could never be a *insert childhood dream* and even if you do, you won't make any money and it's a horrible business to get into. Phew. And I thought my parents were tough.

It could definitely be worse. You could be this guy:

Even more not fine with deciding my future: Photo Credit

But is choosing a major really as terrible as it seems? What can you do to choose the right major?

Things to do when choosing your major:

• Talk to your academic advisor. They've gotten you where you are so far, why not let them help out a little more? Since they've already spent at least a year getting to know you and helping you pick out classes, they're a great resource to see what majors might be good for you. They may even suggest something you did even realize you loved. Say you took a bunch of English classes when you kept telling yourself to be a Bio major. Your advisor can help you spot these things.
• Reflect on what your favorite classes have been. Think back on all the classes you've taken. Which have you been most passionate? Done well in? Seen yourself going into this kind of career? Looking back at past experiences can be really helpful to deciding a major. You wouldn't want to become an Econ major if you hated every Econ class you've taken.
• Visit C3 to get an idea of what life after college looks like for your major. C3 is one of the best hidden gems on campus for where to get advice about after college. When you graduate, do you see yourself getting a job right away? Going to grad school? No clue? C3 can help talk you through the options with whatever majors you're interested in. Even if one major suggests you can't go straight into the workforce after graduating, C3 could probably set up a meeting with a Coe alum who did! Don't be afraid to go in and ask questions over in McCabe.
• Remember, you can still change your major. Just about until you graduate, you can always change your major. You can even add majors sometimes. On the flip side though, don't get bogged down thinking you can't escape your poli-sci-history-psych-neuro-chem quintuple major. You don't have to do it all. If your major doesn't want to stick, you can still change it. Figure out what's right for you.



You'll find the right major. Cap believes in you: Photo Credit

• Follow your heart. Cheesy, I know. But honestly, pick a major that will make you excited to be getting an education. Sometimes people around you can try to tell you that "you should do this" or "don't do that," but it's your life and you can't let others live it for you. Listen to your friends and family's suggestions, but remember, that's just what they are - suggestions - don't be afraid to go after your dreams. Because choosing a major is pretty major.