{"105641":{"#nid":"105641","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Making the Transition from Freshman to Sophomore Year","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAt Georgia Tech, there is an Institute-wide initiative to help sophomore students avoid the traditional \u00e2\u0080\u009cslump\u00e2\u0080\u009d and encourage them to move forward in their academic careers. Sounds easy, right? Well, the answer is \u00e2\u0080\u009cyes\u00e2\u0080\u009d and \u00e2\u0080\u009cno.\u00e2\u0080\u009d As I recently learned first-hand from Alina Staskevicius, now a third-year industrial engineering major, embracing the realities and having a sound social network is key to success. Excerpts from our conversation are below.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat attracted you to Georgia Tech?  \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI actually wasn\u00e2\u0080\u0099t attracted to Georgia Tech at first when I was applying to college. I was accepted into Duke and MIT but Tech wasn\u00e2\u0080\u0099t on my radar. After I attended the Girls Night Out, I fell in love. I just knew that it would be a good fit. Thus far, it has been a great balance of academic and social possibilities.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow was your transition during the first year?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nDuring the first year, it was really the little things that were difficult. You prepare yourself for the bigger issues that you can expect\u00e2\u0080\u0022laundry, preparing meals, et cetera. But for me, it was sharing a bathroom and leaving the lights on while my roommate studied that were unexpected adjustments. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat helped you adjust?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIt was extremely helpful to know the Peer Leaders. Getting to know students who have been here a while was extremely beneficial. I also joined a sorority Alpha Chi Omega which helped me build my network of friends. I am from Woodstock, Georgia, but really didn\u00e2\u0080\u0099t know anyone at Tech.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow was the adjustment from freshman year to sophomore year?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIn your freshman year, everything is so new and exciting. When you become a sophomore, the adrenaline rush dissipates but you have to keep going. It is really helpful to find ways to keep energized. Once you settle down and find your niche academically and socially, you achieve the balance you need to make it through your sophomore year.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat resources have your leveraged at Georgia Tech to help with transitional issues?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nSeveral\u00e2\u0080\u00a6 academic advising for one has been critical. I have my entire college course path mapped out and that is very comforting. I was also involved in the Sophomore Summit, which was a great opportunity to reflect on your college experience and understand where you want to go. It was really energizing and motivating\u00e2\u0080\u0022just what I needed at the time! \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat would you impart on students of the sophomore class?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nEmbrace that fact that it isn\u00e2\u0080\u0099t freshman year anymore and that is okay.  As a sophomore you have more independence than you did as a freshman and that is great! It is also a great time to start giving back to newer students\u00e2\u0080\u0022help teach them the ropes\u00e2\u0080\u0022that really makes you feel good.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor more information on Academic Advising, visit \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.advising.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ewww.advising.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E. For more on Sophomore Summit, visit \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/cyberbuzz.gatech.edu\/sophomore\u0022\u003Ewww.cyberbuzz.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"At Georgia Tech, there is an Institute-wide initiative to help sophomore students avoid the traditional \u00e2\u0080\u009cslump\u00e2\u0080\u009d and encourage them to move forward in their academic careers.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Advise on making this transition a successful one."}],"uid":"27164","created_gmt":"2008-09-03 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:37","author":"Rachael Pocklington","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2008-09-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2008-09-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1298","name":"Parent and Family Programs"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"22611","name":"campus coverage"},{"id":"22601","name":"readership programs"},{"id":"747","name":"USA Today"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003ERachael Pocklington\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EParents Program\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=rpocklington3\u0022\u003EContact Rachael Pocklington\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3920\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["rachael.pocklington@vpss.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}