Summer Before Sophomore Year
The summer before your student’s first semester of college is a very exciting, but often stressful time. After the first year of college is over and all of the “firsts” are out of the way, the second year is usually a little more relaxed when it comes to preparing for their send off.
Before your student heads back to campus, take some time to reflect on the past year with them. Discuss their accomplishments, lessons learned and go over what to expect for the next year. By this time, a lot of your student’s general education courses are out of the way and they are probably getting deeper into courses more specific to their major/degree. This typically means that course content can be a little harder and coursework is more demanding. Having this discussion will help your student prepare for this possibility.
Aside from the academics, take a look back on your student’s personal life during their freshman year. A lot of growing, learning and developing happens in the first year of college. Your student probably learned something about themselves that they did not realize before. Reflect on that. Discuss what they learned about life in their first year. Were they struggling to maintain a healthy school and personal life balance? Did they have any issues amongst their friend group? Does anything need to be resolved or assessed prior to their return? Have this conversation with your student so they know that you are a person with whom they can discuss personal matters and look to for advice.
Next, look ahead to the upcoming sophomore year. If your student hasn’t already, this is a great time to declare a major and think about a possible minor. If they are still undecided, help them come up with a plan for exploring options. The summer is a great time to investigate potential fields of study. Encourage your student to do informational interviews or consider job shadowing in their field of interest. This can help them learn more of what they like and don’t like to help them narrow down their major selection. Help them look at the big picture of their studies and map out a plan for their remaining college years. It is important to consider course availability, prerequisites and required courses. When they get back in the fall they can share this plan with their advisor and get input to help make sure they are on track for graduation.
Summer is also a good time for your student to dig into their future career plans. As campus departments and offices stay open all summer, your student may want to visit our Center for Career Development to discuss career aspirations and possibilities. They can help your student plan for internships in their field of study as well as updating their resume with experience from their freshman year. Your student may also want to take some time to clean up their social media accounts or set up a LinkedIn account to help with future internship and job searches.
In addition, if your student is considering study abroad in the next year or two, summer is a great time to start researching options. Tech’s Center for Global Experiences can help them find the best fit. From weeklong to semester long trips, summer programs and even virtual study abroad opportunities there is sure to be something to meet your student’s needs.
Now is also a good opportunity to discuss finances. Help your student set up a budgeting plan that will lead them through their college years and beyond. Since their first year at Tech is now behind them, it is a good time to look at how they’ve been spending their money. Maybe their Starbucks or Doordash spending has gotten out of hand, or they’re running tight on their gas or grocery money. Taking inventory of their spending habits and income are the first step in creating a budget. It will also show your student areas of improvement and open up conversations on where they may want to cut back. For more helpful tips and information, check out CNBC’s article: An Easy Guide to Help College Students Set Up their First Budget.
At the end of the day, it is important to have confidence in your student when they return to campus. Even if their first year did not go as they had hoped, whether it be academically or personally, you still need to be their biggest cheerleader. The second year can still be just as exciting as the first. Use the tips and talking points listed to help them prepare for the transition into sophomore year and be equally as proud of your student as they continue their education and work toward their degree.
Source: https://www.collegiateparent.com/academics/summer-before-sophomore-year/
