The Student News Site of North Carolina A&T State University

The A&T Register

The Student News Site of North Carolina A&T State University

The A&T Register

The Student News Site of North Carolina A&T State University

The A&T Register

    Avoiding the sophomore jinx

    This year was only my second year in college, but oh how it was the biggest year of change for not only me, but those around me. A very close friend of mine warned me at the end of freshman year about sophomore year, and all of the truth that would be revealed in it. Now that I am almost through with it, I have to say he was right.

    First semester brought a whole lot of self-discovery that was truly needed. I believe that God knew I had to feel loneliness, betrayal, and pure disrespect in order for me to understand that I should turn to him when I’m lonely, betrayed, or hurt because people are not reliable. I went through isolation, mood swings, and a lot of tears until I finally reached a point where I acknowledged that I needed to change and strengthen my weaknesses.

    Along with self changes, I realized a lot of the people I had grown to appreciate, gotten closer to, or just held respect for had also changed coming into sophomore year. Some people took power and new titles to a new level, and just didn’t have time for the “little people” anymore. People that I thought were sincere began showing true colors which caused tension. Most importantly, those that I thought I could turn to finally proved to me that their kindness was only a one-way ticket, and seconds just weren’t up for option. It was so funny to see how people couldn’t handle the title of sophomore, junior or senior because it made them so much better than everyone else. On top of that you had those who gained positions in organizations who forgot where they came from. I just didn’t understand how people allowed titles, nothing but a bunch of words, distinguish who they were. Last time I checked a title cannot create you and establish you, because people can strip you of titles and as I said earlier people are not always reliable.

    At the close of first semester, I knew that changes would have to be made so that I wouldn’t surround myself in environments where I felt pressured, angry, and unhappy. Of course, along with change comes resistance. When I came back second semester I knew I wasn’t the same person that some had grown to know and use, so I anticipated that some would not be too happy with my changes. I received comments like I became mean, I was never around, and I seemed cold. The funny thing was that all those comments came from the people who had hurt me that I wasn’t allowing to do that anymore. See I learned that with change, those who are truly there for you will embrace and support it. On the other hand, those who simply want to take, break, and abuse their privileges do not want to see those changes, because their chain to you will be broken.

    The process was not easy, but I can say now since the end of the year is drawing near, that I am proud of my changes because I find myself stronger, more assertive, and more confident than I started at the beginning of this year. More importantly, I know that next year I will be more than ready because of those changes and the truth that I saw come out in many of the people who I put around me. I’m not trying to make it like I’m better than some people, but there is a very distinct line between those who are friends and those who are associates. As far this campus goes, the changes that occurred this year were good and destructive, but if we want to really build ourselves back up to the glorious point we were at, we have to relay the foundation down again. We have some great leaders on this campus, but it’s up to us to seed them out and support them.

    Sophomore year was truly a year of change and growth. I hope that you were one the ones making progressive changes and not depressing ones.

    • Ashley Reid