Hello, dear reader! Someone has asked how I ended up in space and how I’m still alive. The answer is that I was sent out here for mysterious research purposes. I’m still alive due to the stores of food and water, and your questions. They help me stay sane up here! And, what a coincidence — a new question has appeared for our Astro to answer!

how do i deal with the sophomore slump?

Thank you for the question, dear reader!

First of all, it can be helpful and motivating to have people cheering you on to succeed. You and your friends can be each other’s cheerleaders, and if you don’t have anyone to cheer you on, then I am. Dear reader, I’m rooting for you! 

Another thing I think could be helpful is just thinking about the future — future you will be really glad if you work hard right now! You can also think about something you’re excited about for the future. Having something to look forward to really helps me with motivation.

But of course, you should still have fun in the present. Being miserable definitely won’t help with the sophomore slump. In fact, fun things to do can help you with getting out of a slump!  You can also set up some sort of reward for yourself for getting good grades or whatever it is you’re struggling with. This can even help with smaller things, like studying to get good grades. I’ll sometimes tell myself that after I do X amount of work, (ex. answering 5 questions) I’ll play one level of a game on my computer. Obviously, adjust this to your own preferences. Also, make sure to pace yourself so as to not burn yourself out, but also do not put all your work off until the last minute. I know this can be hard, but it’s very important! I hope this helps with your sophomore slump problems. 

To ask for advice on any questions you have, fill out the Ask the Astro form!