<p>Second semester sophmore year is the low point in just about everyone’s college career. The newness of college has worn off. You’ve just had to make decisions about majors. Yet, you’re not quite far enough along to see the finish line. That’s why they make semester abroad!</p>
<p>Picking her up at the airport after sophmore year was the only time my daughter said, “I’m not gonna lie, that was a hard semester, I’m ready for study abroad…” Then, of course, she came back from travelling the world and the final three semesters at Swarthmore flew by much faster than she wanted.</p>
<p>They don’t call it the “sophmore slump” for nothing and it doesn’t really have that much to do with grades. It’s a transition point.</p>
<p>I give a lot of kudos to Myrt Westphall and others in the dean’s office for taking a long look at initiatives they can take to better address the challenges members of the sophmore class face.</p>