When I moved into my dorm, I kicked my parents out because I was so excited to start my college experience. Just two days later, my roommates and I were crying because we missed home. Starting college forces students into a difficult adjustment period, but it’s a natural process as freshmen find their place on campus, develop friendships and learn to navigate college classrooms. Most schools, including the University of Utah, offer many resources for freshmen to help them through this process. Incoming sophomores missed many of the moments that make freshman year important due to the pandemic. Their first year as an adult was spent online — making it hard to get involved on campus. Because this year’s rising sophomores missed out on freshmen learning opportunities, the U needs to provide extra resources to help them transition onto campus.

Academics

Academics require the most adjustment for college students in their first year. Though we tried to make online learning like a classroom, the Zoom college experience was not ideal. It was too easy to get distracted, and technical difficulties got in the way of learning. Unlike many older students on campus, sophomores haven’t experienced in-person learning yet. They might not be prepared for it, especially after a year of subpar online learning that didn’t encourage students to utilize proper study skills. They didn’t get the same academic adjustment that is crucial to a strong first year.

Additionally, sophomore year is a great time for students to start working toward future academic and career goals because they already know their way around campus. It is the time to complete internships, start research and beef up resumes. Sophomores this year haven’t become familiar with the campus, though, which makes it difficult for them to work towards their goals in the same way I could my sophomore year.

This year’s sophomores deserve an equal chance at success. The U needs to encourage its faculty to teach students to use campus resources they can continue to use, like the library website and the writing lab. Teachers should also recognize that sophomores might require extra help this year. Faculty should make sure to inform students about campus opportunities to help sophomores meet their goals — like putting deadlines for programs like UROP or Hinckley internships on their Canvas page. Professors should make an effort to provide sophomores with resources, because any additional support will go a long way.

Social Life

Sophomores this year won’t only face academic challenges. They also will have to find a way to navigate the social aspect of college. Moving away from home and into an entirely new social environment isolates and pushes students. Many freshmen make friends in classes or clubs, which gives them a chance to meet people who study the same thing and have similar interests. Colleges help this process by hosting social events for students to meet friends outside of class. Those were events I attended in my first year at the U, but this year’s sophomores missed those opportunities. All the ways students usually made friends were taken away last year. Classes moved online, and many campus organizations and social events moved online too or were canceled altogether, like with intramurals.

Research shows that involved students are happier with their college experience and more likely to complete their degrees. This year, to help sophomores get involved on campus, clubs should put in extra effort to recruit freshmen and sophomores by hosting more events tailored to them. The U’s colleges need to step up and have more social events for sophomores to help them create the social bonds that will help them through school.

When I came to college, I was able to have a normal freshman experience. I made friends, joined clubs and adjusted to a new type of learning. I met with advisors and my professors understood that students my age were still figuring it out. People looked out for me and I felt supported. This year’s sophomores missed that. They likely haven’t met many of their teachers or peers in person. This year, they are expected to know how to navigate campus and begin working towards their future goals, but we haven’t given them the experiences they need to succeed. I sincerely hope that the U considers the unique challenges sophomores will face this year and provides them with the necessary resources.

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@kcellenc