Finishing up your sophomore year is another milestone you’ve overcome. Sophomore year isn’t like your freshman year. You know a little bit more than you did last year (hopefully) and you’re slowly but surely figuring out what you want to do in the future (hopefully). Unfortunately, as you get older the responsibilities grow with you, and you’ll be doing more adulting than you did last year.

1. Time management

You’re definitely not a pro, at least for now. But you have finally succumb to the fact that time management is extremely important in your day-to-day life. Managing the little things like setting aside time to grocery shop or even to shower will help you keep stress levels at bay and allow you to enjoy more time for relaxation.

2. It’s easier to stay healthy

For some odd reason, you’re no longer spending hours in the cafeteria eating endless slices of pizza. The freshman 15 has subsided into the sophomore 10. You’re starting to learn how to make conscious health choices including engaging in physical activities and eating more vegetables than ever before.

3. Classes can be enjoyable

Luckily, those general requirement courses now live in the past. You can now take classes related to your major which can actually be fun. In general, the act of going to class becomes much more enjoyable. You’ve had fun your freshman year and now you understand that it’s time to buckle down and put your tuition to good use.

4. You learn to take advantage of campus resources

Wow! Who would’ve thought there would be a career center on campus with advisers waiting on hand? There are resources like this that you are slowly learning about and are beginning to take full advantage of. On campus, there are several opportunities to have your questions answered and to make the internships and job search a little bit easier. These resources are invaluable and worth checking out.

5. Grades are important

Remember that D you got in a class freshman year? At first, you thought it was a joke, nothing could ever ruin your GPA. But now you know that every class matters and any grade will affect your GPA. The biggest revelation was learning that it’s officially time to step up your game. You no longer can use the freshman excuse of “being lost” or “struggling to keep up with short deadlines.” Classes are becoming more difficult which means there will be less time at a party and more time in the library.

Of course, these lessons aren’t always sugar-coated. You’ll experience ups and downs, like always. None of us are perfect and we still have difficulties managing finals week. But, we’re getting better and that’s an accomplishment in itself. As a sophomore, you realize you’re halfway through your college years. The anxiety kicks in as you begin to think about your next transition into your junior year. Don’t let sophomore year take away from your experiences, make an effort to enjoy every moment you have on and off campus.