You often hear talk of the sophomore slump- a time where students can experience heightened uncertainty and lower motivation, in addition to second guessing choices they have made in their first year of college.

However, with all of the uncertainty the pandemic has brought to our lives, we recognize that this same type of slump is likely impacting students at all levels – a college slump, if you will.

Below we lay out strategies and resources for overcoming a challenging season in college.

Socially, you may be feeling isolated and/or disconnected from your friends. You may be craving peer interaction and support in ways you never have before.

It can be hard to take the initial step, but try mixing it up a bit.

• Get a group of friends together to play a video game or virtual trivia.
• Organize a small study group. Even if each person is focused on individual work, having the presence of others with you can be a big mood booster!
• Is the weather nice? Meet up with a friend to take a walk/hike or lunch in a park.

Additionally, don’t forget that Campus Life offers opportunities for student engagement. Check out their myUMBC page or follow the Student Events Board (SEB)’s for a list of events. Many student organizations are meeting again in person or are still connecting online.

Academically, you may be feeling a lack of motivation to attend class or study. You may still face challenges in some of your online courses, as it may not align with your preferred learning style. You also may be questioning your choice of major and wondering if you should completely change your academic path.

• The Academic Success Center has great online learning resources, including a series of interactive videos. Additionally, the ASC offers tutoring services if you need extra support.
• Check in with your professors during their office hours or chat with a TA to get assistance with specific questions you have about your course content.
• Advisors in the Office for Academic & Pre-Professional Advising welcome the opportunity to discuss your academic plans, including any potential major changes you are considering.

Generally speaking, slumps are a normal part of any college experience. It may seem like everyone around you has things 100% figured out, but most certainly, that is not the case. It’s what you do in the midst of a slump that will set the course for your remaining time at UMBC. The solution is almost always to take some form of action, no matter how small the step. If making social or academic changes seems too much right now, perhaps a step in the direction of your mental health and well-being is a better fit. If that’s the case, we encourage you to visit University Health Services and Health Promotion or the Counseling Center for support.

Events this Week:

11:00-11:30 AM – Overview: Internships and Early Careers
Overview of the Internship and Entry Level Opportunities available at APL and a review of the application process and timeline.

11:45 AM-12:30 PM – UMBC Alum Panel Discussion
Hear from UMBC Alumni what a day in the life is like at APL.

12:45-1:45 PM – Where to Go From Here
Opportunity for students to ask questions to Recruiters and UMBC Alumni.

About APL:

Featured Content:

APL College Summer Intern Program

APL Mission Areas

Applications for the 2022 Student Researcher roles are officially open. This paid Student Researcher position offers students the opportunity to work directly with Google research scientists and engineers on cutting-edge research projects. This program is open to Bachelors, Masters and PhD students currently enrolled in a degree program in the U.S. 

The Student Researcher Program’s primary objective is to foster academic collaborations with students through research at Google. The program offers more opportunities for research students to work on critical research projects at Google in a less structured way (allowing flexibility beyond the limitations of our traditional internship program). 

You can view full details of the numerous roles HERE

Roles Include:

Student Researcher, PhD, 2022

Student Researcher, MS, 2022

Student Researcher, BS, 2022

The Career Center works very hard to ensure that job postings in UMBCworks are legitimate positions, however, scammers are becoming more and more creative, especially in these difficult economic times.

Please see the following most recent email scams; THESE ARE FRAUDULENT:

Once again, this email is a scam. Notice the email comes from a "Gmail account" and NOT a UMBC email URL. 

Please visit our Fraudulent Jobs & Email Scams page HERE to learn about about what to look out for and wat to do in the event you receive one of these emails. 

The Career Center is here to support you. If you encounter a position that you fear may be fraudulent, don’t hesitate to reach out to us careers@umbc.edu