Overcoming the Mid-Year Challenge: Reflecting on the Struggles of Sophomore Year
As I reflect on my sophomore year, I find myself facing a significant sense of overwhelm and frustration. While I’ve enjoyed participating in various extracurricular activities, managing my academic workload has become increasingly difficult. The transition from freshman to sophomore year has brought unexpected challenges, especially in handling a more rigorous course load.
During my first year, I was able to maintain high grades, earning mostly A’s and A-‘s, and I felt confident in my academic abilities. However, this year, my coursework has become more demanding, notably with honors and advanced placement classes such as Honors English 10, AP Psychology, AP US History, and AP Environmental Science. Although I value the challenge these courses present, the sheer volume of work has made it hard to stay organized and perform at my best across all subjects.
I’ve noticed a decline in my performance, particularly in my STEM classes, which used to be my strong suit. The difficulty isn’t solely from the two AP courses I am taking this year but is compounded by the three honors classes I’m juggling simultaneously. This accumulated pressure has led to feelings of stagnation and burnout.
Despite my previous academic achievements, I now grapple with feelings of laziness, procrastination, and frustration. A part of this is due to wasted time spent scrolling social media, but I also believe that the current high school workload is disproportionate, making it challenging to sustain high levels of effort consistently. My current weighted GPA is around 4.2, which I once thought reflected my abilities but now feels insufficient in the face of ongoing stress.
An unexpected illness in March further disrupted my routine, derailing my productivity and leaving me to recover from the setbacks. Coupled with extracurricular commitments like track, the recovery process has been slow. Recently, I’ve been focusing on preparing for AP exams, establishing healthier sleep habits, and managing various assignments, projects, and upcoming finals. Still, I often feel drained and stranded, experiencing writer’s block and a growing sense of disillusionment with my environment.
Looking ahead, I plan to enroll in a lighter course schedule next year, including AP Government, AP Environmental Science, AP Language, College Prep courses, Art III, possibly Honors Spanish IV, and a study hall. While this schedule might be more manageable, I remain unsure if it will be enough to restore my sense of balance and enthusiasm.
Ultimately, I long for a renewed feeling of freedom and