Sophomore year of high school, A survival guide

By Amir Muhammad | May 31, 2024

Photo of Baltimore school by Chuck Patch

Most people like to say that junior year was their worst year in school, but for me currently, it has to be sophomore year.

In my high school, I am in an accelerated course. This means the classes I am taking now were really meant to be taken next year. At the beginning of this school year, it was difficult for me to get adjusted to the course material, but by quarter two, most classes were manageable.

To make sure that sophomore year goes smoothly for you I will rank the classes I have and give you tips on how to manage them. There will be other simple reminders near the end.

My Course List and Ranking:

  • AP U.S. Government & Politics: 7.5/10

  • Honors Algebra 2: 8/10

  • Probability & Statistics: 10/10

  • Honors Accelerated Trigonometry: 9/10

  • Honors Chemistry: 6/10

  • Honors English 2: 10/10

  • Honors Physics: 4/10

  • Honors Spanish 2: 10/10

AP GOV

Photo of the White House by Thomas Hawk

This class can get boring at times, but it is easy to get through if you try to connect to the situations that you are learning about. If you are learning about something like voting for example try to connect that to what a parent or guardian has to go through on voting day or something you’ve seen in the news recently. I had a great teacher for this class and that made it easier.

  • Keep a binder for notes instead of a notebook (There's a lot of concepts). I ran out of space in my notebook by quarter 3.

  • GET THE REVIEW GUIDE! It has practice tests and a glossary of most of the terms we learned throughout the year in the back of the book.

  • Don’t be too scared of the AP exam because after that there isn’t much class left.

Algebra 2

Photo of an abacus by feck_aRt_post

At the beginning of the year, this class was difficult for me. With time, the class eventually got easy when I decided to focus and be engaged. I had to remind myself that class time was my chance to ask questions and ensure I completely understood a topic. Math is not easy for me, but taking notes pushed me ahead. In the first quarter, I finished with a C+ and now I am at an A. If I could grow that much, so can you.

  • Ask questions and never leave the room without completely understanding the topic.

  • Do practice problems using sites like IXL and  Quizlet to get ahead.

  • When you do not understand a problem it is ok to skip it and leave it for later, so you can give your undivided attention to it.

Probability and Statistics

This was a very easy class that only lasted for a single semester. The teacher made class time fun and made sure that students understood the course material. I have never been the best with probability questions, but this class made them very simple and easy to understand.

  • A single notebook will do.

  • Use Khan Academy because they always have a lesson for each topic.

  • As stated before there is always a helpful YouTube video to watch.

Trigonometry

I am currently taking this class and it is very simple to understand. Trig gives you the ability to solve for the angles and sides of triangles. It is very easy to grasp because most of it you should already know or they should seem familiar to you. This is another easy class that lasts for just a semester.

  • Pay attention because there are many formulas to memorize.

Chemistry

Photo of test tubes by Alvin Katek

This class is ranked as a 6/10 because of my program splitting this class with my research class. So, sometimes we would be out of chemistry for the week which made it hard to keep track and hold of the new concepts. It was stressful at points having to navigate between remembering my chemistry work and writing my research paper. Chemistry can be difficult, but you just need to realize it is just Algebra with elements.

  • Look over past work that you may have forgotten. 

  • Memorize the constants that go with equations for quizzes and tests.

  • YouTube videos( CrashCourse - YouTube ) are perfect for understanding what is happening in this class.

  • If a periodic table is not printed for you, make sure to print one or draw one yourself.

Physics

I have to admit that I am a bad quiz and test taker when I am not confident in the material. My physics teacher prefers that students be more self-taught, so he assigns online assignments to do. That way of learning did not help me at all and led me to just give up on the class entirely. However, I realized that I could not let some class beat me and that's when I decided to give it my all in the fourth quarter to close out the year strong. 

  • Make the concepts interesting to you.

  • Find meaning in the work that you are doing. 

  • Memorize the equations.

  • Remember that physics is the explanation for why things happen the way that they do and try to visualize everything from a physics mindset.

  • TAKE NOTES!

English

Photo of a bookcase by Nick Vidal-Hall

The conclusion that I have made with English classes is that you either have a really good teacher or a really bad one. In my case, my English teacher is the best, leading me to getting 100’s throughout the year. English at the end of the day is just reading and comprehending what you have read. Understanding the theme and characterization will help you in the long run. If you struggle with reading boring stories, I suggest listening to the audio version and playing a game in the background, so it is less boring. 

  • Cornell notes is the best method for taking notes.. Writing down what you find interesting and then connecting that to the terms you've learned throughout class is best.

  • SparkNotes and CrashCourse - YouTube (specifically literature)  videos of people going in-depth about a chapter will never do you wrong when you miss a reading. 

  • Try to connect with the readings to the best of your ability, so you can try to internalize them.

Spanish 2

This is a very easy class when you pay attention and complete your work. When you do those things, the class is very chill. If the teacher understands that most students are not going to easily understand what they say in Spanish and translate it to English, the class time will be more effective, but when you have the opposite that is when the class can be challenging. 

  • Have a dedicated notebook for this class.

  • You may want to get a Spanish dictionary, but that is not necessary unless it is a requirement. Quizlet. 

  • Pay attention in class and to the spelling of words.

  • Remember that you are learning a new language for your benefit—like going to a Spanish-speaking country one day.

Final reminders

  • Have a hobby and never give it up.

  • Make time for yourself, family, and friends.

  • Join a club.

  • Make sure that work gets done first, so you can enjoy your time off.

  • Remember that a year may seem long, but summer will be here before you know it. 

  • You got sophomore year in the bag!