Freshman year is over, and its time to begin a new year of school. No more being the lost new freshman on campus, and no more being scared of what's going to happen to you this year. You've done it, you made it through year one and now it's time to take on year two. Now is the time to appreciate the friendships that lasted, actually focus in class, and enjoy the fact that you are striving to make it through another year of college.

Freshman year was the year of experiments, and sophomore year is the year of execution. Now that classes are starting you know what your strengths and weaknesses are in passing a course. So what if you didn't do well your freshman year? Guess what, you made it to sophomore year so you did something right. Accept the past and move forward with positivity that you are going to pass your classes. You are close enough with your friends to tell them that you have to stay in or go to the library to study. You aren't afraid, to be honest with them about it because you know they are in the same boat as you are.

Now that the freshman fears are over it's time to be the striving sophomore you know you can be. You now know that it's better to go talk to your professors at office hours, rather than hoping you really understood the assignment when you clearly didn't. You know what time is rush hour at the food spots on campus, and you know not to go to class “hangry”. You’ve found your spot in the library where you won't be interrupted, and you know the spot in the library where you meet up with friends to do homework that turns into more talking than working.

Now is the time to join greek life, join a club, or do that intramural sport you've been dying to play. Go to that random open mic night in your school’s coffee shop and meet some new people. It's never too late to do the things you couldn't do as a freshman. Sophomore year is the year to know what you like and dislikes, and grow from that freshman you used to be. Enjoy every minute of it and remember that when you think you can’t get through college, just know that you already survived one year. You survived one of the most crucial years in college, and you're going to do even better sophomore year. Let go of those freshman fears and be the striving sophomore you know you can be.