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Advice to Sophomores: How to Avoid Becoming Overwhelmed

Published on: March 5, 2025

High school sophomores: with spring break on the horizon, now is a good time to plan for some well-deserved rest and relaxation. It’s easy to become overwhelmed at this point in the school year with deadlines and final exams still looming. June can seem very far away. But rather than using your break to catch up on homework or research college programs, how about taking some time for yourself? Do something you typically don’t have time to do and let yourself enjoy the warming weather and lengthening days. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Spend time with family and friends. It seems obvious that family and friends deserve your attention, but how often do you have the time to sit down for a leisurely meal or conversation? Make a plan to have breakfast with a family member or ice cream with a close friend. Without the alarm clock going off and the problem set due, you can focus on catching up with someone special in your life. Offer to cook dinner one night or round up your friends for some pizza. What you do isn’t as important as who you are doing it with!

Read for pleasure. As good as Pride and Prejudice and To the Lighthouse are, assigned reading isn’t necessarily what you want over spring break. Why not head to your local library or bookstore and check out the graphic novel section or find a print magazine or comic book to read? Rather than staring at your screen, flip through the pages and find yourself exploring a new and different world. (Bonus: when college application time does roll around, you might find yourself being asked to write about a work of literature that shaped you. It’s great to have books you’ve read and enjoyed that weren’t assigned for school!)

Paint/Sculpt/Sew/Collage/Write. Be creative. Take some photographs around town or somewhere you’ve never been before and frame them. Find an inexpensive watercolor set and some paper and see what you can paint. Do you have a collection of old magazines that can provide collaging materials? Is there a poem or short story you’ve been itching to write? Look around and see what art or project supplies you might have on hand and have fun making something new.

Meditate. Life is hectic. Sophomore year is getting serious. You have a lot on your mind. Finding ways to clear your thoughts and focus on yourself can be a challenge. Fortunately, there are a lot of mindfulness resources available to help you slow down and pace yourself. There are apps, music, yoga classes – find something that feels right for you and gives you some space for breathing, focusing, and staying in the present moment.

Exercise. Nothing can make you feel better than some physical movement. Take a long walk, go for a run, rent a kayak or a rowboat if you live near a lake. Does your backyard need weeding or mowing? How about finding a playground with a basketball hoop or tennis courts? Exercise is beneficial for both mind and body, and making time each day for some brief exertion will go a long way towards keeping you healthy.

Play. Board games, card games, puzzles…when was the last time you pulled these out of a closet and had a game night? Whether with family and friends or on your own, why not rediscover some old favorite activities? Is there a carousel nearby? An arcade? A bowling alley? And while indoor games are fun, don’t forget the enjoyment you used to get out of tag, running races, mini-golf, or simply rolling down a grassy hill.

 Remember that the goal here is to avoid becoming overwhelmed with school and planning for the future. It’s really okay not to focus on college yet. Sophomore year is too early to be worrying about applications and college fit. Read why at the end of our blog post on advice for sophomore year. And in the meantime, have some fun!

Article by Expert Admissions / College Fit, College Search, Extracurricular Activities, High School Sophomores, Student Life Leave a Comment

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