3 Strategies to Bounce Back from a Sophomore Slump

3 Strategies to Bounce Back from a Sophomore Slump At this time in the semester, it can be easy to fall into a slumpparticularly if youre a high school sophomore. Freshman year is full of excitement. During sophomore year, however, you begin to get questions about your future you may not be ready to answer, or to have classes you may not feel fully prepared for. Dont panic. There are steps you can take to overcome a sophomore slump, such as identifying what the root cause is or being honest with your teachers and parents. If the spring semester of your sophomore year of high school feels endless, utilize these strategies to bounce back from a sophomore slump: Sophomore slump strategy #1: Identify the cause If youre stuck in a sophomore slump, take a moment to honestly check in with yourself about why youre in this situation. Perhaps youre uncertain about concepts youre learning in class, and this is placing excess stress on you. Perhaps you need to establish better time management strategies or cut back on extracurriculars. Discover what is driving your sophomore slump, and develop ways to overcome it. When creating a slump-busting game plan, its important to ask yourself what learning style you prefer. For example, are you an auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learner? Identifying your style (or styles) can help you understand how you work best and can guide you to make smarter and more efficient choices in your work habits. [RELATED: Time Management Tips for Students] Sophomore slump strategy #2: Speak with your parents and teachers Once youve established potential causes of your sophomore slump, be honest with your parents and teachers. Sit down with your parents and explain the situation. Offer them your assessment of the situation, and ask for their advice. Be open and receptive, as being defensive wont help you get back on track. Acknowledge where things might have gone wrong, and ask them for what you needmaybe this is private tutoring or a new carpool that will let you stay longer at school to speak with your teachers. Or perhaps its discussing rearranging the family schedule to allow for more homework time, or asking your parents to hold you accountable more often. Also find time to speak with your teachers. Be sure to bring your personal learning habits into the conversation. If you know youre more of an auditory learner, ask for permission to record class lectures. If youre more of a visual learner, ask for some extra time in class to copy down notes that might get sped through. Go into the conversation with the knowledge that your teachers want you to do your best. Ask them for their opinion on how you can improve. Perhaps theyve noticed that you always make the same mistakes or that you consistently dont turn your assignments in on time. Sometimes, that clarity is all you need to get back on track. [RELATED: How High School and College Students Can Setand AchieveAcademic Goals] Sophomore slump strategy #3: Communicate with your classmates You and your classmates are in this together. They can be your best allies through the difficult times of high school. If you know some of your friends are doing well in a class, ask them what their tactics are. Maybe they understand a particular teachers teaching style, and this helps them on tests. Perhaps theyre utilizing your teachers after-school help as a strategy for success. Ask for their input and if theyre open to having joint study sessions. [RELATED: What I Wish I Knew About Taking the ACT/SAT] Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.