Advice From a Senior to a Sophomore

Submitted by Beatriz “Bia” De Souza, ’24 

Freshman year has quickly gone by, and now you are a sophomore. You already got your feet wet with a year at college, but you still have three years left. A lot can happen in three years! Here are a few pieces of advice from a senior to you, so you can make the most of them:

1. Take as many classes as you can! At Cumberlands, we can take up to 6 courses (18 credit hours) per semester without paying extra for tuition. Take advantage of that. The more classes you take early on in college, the fewer classes you will need in your senior year. I will say that 400-level classes are more demanding than 200-level classes, so try to spread out those higher-level classes with your lower-level ones so that you keep your sanity. But if you are able, take 6 classes a semester now so you can have a more chill senior year.
2. Meet new people! You made a lot of new friends your first year, and you probably already have your friend group pretty solidified, but don't settle! Go out, meet new people, and try new things. Having friends is great, so do not stop making an effort to meet new people and create new connections.
3. If you haven't already, join clubs and organizations. Cumberlands has plenty of clubs, teams, honor societies, and many other opportunities where you can get involved. A big bonus is that, if you join something you find interesting, odds are that you will have a lot of fun! Additionally, though, having this type of involvement on campus carries weight later when you add these activities to your résumé. (Especially if you can take on leadership roles, since those count even more.)

Sophomore year can be one of the most exciting years of college! Take on every opportunity you can, work hard on your classes, and set yourself up for success in the future. It’s going to be great. You've got this!