Sophomore year is considered to be the “middle child year” of high school and college, with students being neither the oldest and the ones with the most experience in the school, but they are also not the incoming freshmen who are new and still finding their place. Although it is exciting to no longer be part of the youngest class in the school, the pressure starts to build on students. Stereotypically, sophomore year is when things get real, classes get rougher, and students to be more attentive about their grades for college applications.

Sean Lui, a sophomore, believes it is an upgrade being a sophomore.

“I think it is pretty cool that I am no longer a freshman and that I am not the youngest anymore,” he said.

Sharing similar opinions, Ivanna Penalver, a member of SALTT, Purple Hearts, and Salesian Hearts, another 10th grader, enjoys the fact she’s a year older and not in the youngest grade in the school.

“I think that there is less pressure that comes from being a sophomore because you are not the youngest class in the school,” she said.

Lastly, Zain Abu Nasser, a 10th grader as well, believes similar things as Ivanna and Sean, and that it’s a better experience of being a sophomore than a freshman.

“I think it’s better than being a freshman because of the experience and you’re not a new student anymore,” he said.

This year is also commonly known as the “bridge” between starting out high school and preparing for the future. This new step in a student’s academic and social life is very significant, with students feeling pressure, possibly feeling nervous because of college and getting good grades for this, and in ILS’s case, trying to get those one hundred service hours before junior year.