Dear Sophomore Year,

Not to start this letter off with crazy, unrealistic expectations, but you have a lot to live up to. Second semester of freshman year was great. I made amazing friends and everything finally felt like it was falling into place. Now, it’s your turn. It’s your time to shine. Let this great life that was built up by a sweet and sour first year flourish. It was rough at the beginning but, by the end, freshman year became something great. Now it’s your responsibility to keep it going.

I know that you aren't directly responsible for my happiness and success; I know that it’s up to me to maintain good grades and keep a nice balance of school, fun, and friends, but now that it's sophomore year, that should make it easier, right? By already knowing where all the buildings are, and already having made friends, it should be a piece of cake. Of course there will be some difficult parts, my first time on the other side of recruitment, more difficult classes, and having to declare my major. But those won’t be too bad as long as I’ve got the hang of all the easy stuff.

I want this upcoming school year to be a successful one. Not only academically and socially, but emotionally too. Freshman year is an emotional roller coaster for everyone, but at times, it felt like the end of the world for me. Can this year be a happier one? I’ve gotten more comfortable with my surroundings at school so logically I should be more comfortable in my emotional surroundings. I think that together, we can make this year a much more emotionally successful one.

While I know I want to improve academically, socially, and emotionally, I just want to have a better overall experience. Every upperclassman I’ve talked to says that sophomore year is the best year of college and I believe them. Again, not to put pressure on you, but I truly do want to make this the best year ever. I want more life experiences, I want to take more fascinating classes, and I want to get more out of this year overall. I know gaining these experiences is something I have to do by branching out and putting effort into making this year the best that it can be.

So, sophomore year, while it seems like I am putting a lot of pressure on you to be great, it’s actually on me. That is something I am still coming to terms with. Something I need to figure out the rest of this summer so that I can go into this year with the right attitude. If sophomore year really is the best year of college, then it’s on me to make it the best.

Here’s to you, sophomore year, the best year of college ever. I know you’ll live up to all my expectations. If I go in with the right attitude and the right amount of confidence, there’s nothing I can’t handle.

Lydia