Every year, 10th-graders across the nation fall into the infamous “sophomore slump.” Throughout the school year, many students experience a dip in both academic and extracurricular motivation and effort levels which is a phenomenon that seems to affect 10th graders the most. “I would get home and not know how to focus,” says Emery junior Maddie Cox on her experience with the sophomore slump. Upper school guidance counselor Laura Larkin notices that “a lot of students have expressed feeling less motivated to be involved,” and that she “doesn’t really see that sort of eagerness” that often comes with other grade levels.
The sophomore slump may occur for a variety of reasons depending on the person. Many students can burn out quickly especially if they are high-functioning, involved people. “I think that the balance that students should have in their high school experience doesn’t happen here until second-semester junior year,” says sophomore grade level coordinator, Jyme Roundtree. To combat this burnout and find a better balance between academics, extracurriculars, and social lives Emery senior Lillian Cutrer suggests students should “focus on what [they] want to do now and work towards that.” Setting achievable goals and spending more time on things one truly enjoys can help people sustain motivation for longer periods of time.
Without the eagerness of being new to high school as a freshman, the excitement of college around the corner as a senior, or the pressure of college applications in junior year it can be difficult to find reason to put in effort during sophomore year. “It’s at this weird in-between time,” Larkin says. External and internal pressures can also diminish a student’s motivation when they don’t succeed in the way they desire.
When these kinds of pressures and lack of motivation weigh down on students, Roundtree suggests “[reminding yourself] that, hey, we didn’t get that A+ on this exam– that’s not a cause to pause; that’s a cause to kind of get back to what you’re doing.” Failure doesn’t have to be continuous, and experiencing failure and returning to something with a better mindset and a desire to improve can help students not only sustain motivation but also be more successful.
The sophomore slump is often perceived as a very negative time; however, it can become an opportunity for growth for students if they keep a positive mindset and put in as much effort as possible. Everyone has days where they aren’t performing at their best. Recognizing those days and then accepting and moving past them is vital for students of any grade especially those in the sophomore slump. Essentially, don’t stress and try your best because at the end of the day, according to Maddie Cox, “it’s not as bad as you think it is.”
