Fortify your freshman experience and keep the momentum going into your second year with these events and helpful information, designed just for sophomores.
Check in with an upperclassman or professional staff member on how your second year is going and make a plan for the future!
Schedule a one-on-one appointment with an upperclassman or professional staff member to check in on how your second year is going and make a plan for the future.
Navigating your second year can be overwhelming. That's why the Student Success Center has created a checklist to help you stay successful in your second year– in all aspects of college, not just academics.
Work on developing your own goals for within and beyond the classroom experiences in the sophomore year! You can complete this action plan on your own or during a SophoMORE Success Consultation.
We are happy to provide a guide with important reminders and tips for success in your
second year.
Follow the Roadmap »
This month-long program is dedicated to helping second-year students adjust to their second year at the university and feel welcomed and connected. SophoMORE September will consist of more than 30 events that are designed for second-year students at USC but are open to all students.
Sophomore students can get a SophoMORE September punch card at nearly every SophoMORE September event or pick one up at the SSC! Complete the punch card to win prizes! Go to 10 events and win a free t-shirt! Go to 13 events and win a prize pack or a gift card to a local restaurant!
Don't worry if you lose your punch card! You can always get another one from the SSC and the SSC can check your name on an attendance roster for MOST events. You'll fill out an attendance form at all in-person or virtual workshops. ID card scanners will be used at most outside events! All SSC workshop attendance will also be housed in Navigate.
Questions? Drop The SophoMORE Initiative an email at satsi@mailbox.sc.edu
Participate in a 1 on 1 Service
Participate in the Out-to-Lunch program, have a SophoMORE Success Consultation, a
Money Management Consultation, attend a 1-on-1 tutoring session, or have a general
SSC Success Consultation with the Student Success Center!
Part-Time Job Fair
10am-1pm | RHUU Ballroom
Thinking about working a part-time job in your second year of college? There are tons of opportunities both on and off campus and the Part-Time Job Fair can help you learn about your options! Hosted by the Career Center.
Second Year Success Workshop
5pm | SSC Conference Room, Thomas Cooper Library
Want to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump? We've got a plan for that! Join us for this entertaining workshop about steps you can take to thrive in your second year at Carolina. You'll walk away with your own personal sophomore action plan. Hosted by the Student Success Center.
Planning and Popsicles
6pm-8pm | SSC Mezzanine, Thomas Cooper Library
Science shows that writing things down– goals, notes, your schedule, deadlines– helps you remember and achieve. Whether you want to plan electronically or physically, we have the tools for you! Students will receive a free planner, access to a time-blocking app, and learn strategies for how to make the best use of your time. Hosted by the Student Success Center.
Planning and Popsicles
6pm-8pm | SSC Mezzanine, Thomas Cooper Library
Science shows that writing things down– goals, notes, your schedule, deadlines– helps you remember and achieve. Whether you want to plan electronically or physically, we have the tools for you! Students will receive a free planner, access to a time-blocking app, and learn strategies for how to make the best use of your time. Hosted by the Student Success Center.
SophoMORE Welcome Back Carnival
12pm-3:30pm | Greene Street
FREE FOOD, fun, carnival games, music, and resources to help kick-off your second year! This is YOUR official welcome back event! Get your SophoMORE September punch card at the SophoMORE Initiative table on Greene Street. Hosted by the Student Success Center.
Rain Date: September 21
Navigating USC– Surviving Parking and Commuting Workshop
6pm | Virtual Workshop
Living off campus? Trying to figure out where to park and how to get to campus every day? We may not have all the answers, but we do have some tips for making a plan on how to navigate campus! RSVP required to get the meeting link. Hosted by the Student Success Center.
Study Smart: Study Skills and Academic Success Tips Workshop
3:30pm | RHUU Room 203
Need help preparing for classes and sharpening your study skills as we return to campus after a summer off? Join for this session full of tips and advice for a successful academic semester. RSVP to secure your spot. Hosted by the Student Success Center.
SophoMORE Mug Making Madness
1pm-4pm | Davis Field II
Bring your artistic skills and decorate a coffee mug and chat with other sophomore students. Mug is yours to keep, good artistic skills not required. Hosted by the Student Success Center.
Rain Date: September 27
What's App-ening Workshop
5:30pm | Online Workshop
This workshop aims to help students understand what apps exist for students to organize, manage their time, study, and also manage their money, budgets, and debt. Join us to learn how technology can help make these tasks easier! RSVP to get the meeting link. Hosted by the Student Success Center.
Thriving in Off-Campus Housing
4:30pm | SSC Conference Room
Living off campus? Concerned about how to manage the commute, stay safe, get along with your neighbors and more? Hear from staff and upperclassmen on how to thrive while living off campus! Hosted by the Student Success Center. RSVP to reserve your spot!
SophoMORE Cool Down
12pm-2:30pm | Greene Street
Cool down in this Columbia heat with a free sno cone! Take some time to make a card to honor a veteran in support of 9/11 Day of Service and chat with Student Success Center staff about services. Hosted by the Student Success Center.
Rain Date: September 21
Getting an Internship in Sophomore Year
5pm | Virtual Workshop
Internships can be a really important and valuable part of the college experience. How do you get one? Join us to hear from experts in the Career Center about the internship process. RSVP to get the meeting link.
Farmer's Market
10am-2pm | Greene Street
Stop by the Sophomore September table at the Farmer's Market to get some great resources for your 2nd year! Look for the Student Success Center's SophoMORE September table! Hosted by Healthy Campus Initiatives.
Money Smarts for your SophoMORE Year
5:30pm | Virtual Workshop
Living off campus this semester? Join in for this helpful workshop about how to budget and make money smart decisions in this new environment. Hosted by the Student Success Center. RSVP to get the meeting link.
Second Year Success Workshop
3:30pm | SSC Conference Room
Want to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump? We've got the plan for that! Join us for this entertaining workshop about steps you can take to thrive in your second year at Carolina! You'll walk away with your own personal sophomore action plan. Hosted by the Student Success Center. RSVP to reserve your spot.
How to Change Your Major Workshop
6pm | Virtual Workshop
Thinking about changing your major? Not sure what is involved or where to start? The University Advising Center will go over all your options in this informative workshop! Hosted by the University Advising Center. RSVP to receive the meeting link.
Service Saturday
8:30am-12:30pm | Locations Vary
Volunteer with fellow Gamecocks in the Columbia community! Hosted by the Leadership and Service Center. RSVP to secure your spot.
Constitution Day – Civil and Uncivil Student Behavior at USC: Balancing the Constitution,
the Creed, and Personal Beliefs
3pm | Russell House Ballroom
[Date changed from September 19th to September 18th]
What happens at the intersection of students who have competing beliefs within the
context of the Carolinian Creed and Constitutionally protected expression? Join fellow
students for a roundtable discussion to explore. Following the student facilitated
discussions, a panel of key campus administrators will be present to debrief and answer
questions.
Internship Interviewing Workshop
6pm | Virtual Workshop
You applied for a great internship and were given an interview offer! How do you ace the interview? Join us to hear from experts in the Career Center about the internship process. RSVP to get the meeting link.
National Voter Registration Day
11am-2pm | Greene Street
Are you registered to vote? Voting is one of the most important things you can do as a US Citizen and this fall is a great time to register if you are eligible. Stop by the Voter Registration table hosted by the Leadership and Service Center on 9/19 to learn more and get your SophoMORE September punch card stamped!
Taking the Lead in Your Organization
5:30pm | RHUU 322
It's your second year and you may be looking to get more involved in campus organizations and step into a leadership role. But how exactly? Come hear from staff in the Leadership and Service Center, third and fourth-year students on how to step up in your organization! RSVP to get the meeting link
Career and Internship Fair: Health Professionals
12pm-4pm | Carolina Coliseum
Students and employers meet to talk about career, internship and co-op possibilities. Now is the time to start planning for your future internship experience. This fair is targeted at STEM majors. Hosted by the Career Center. Register via Handshake to attend.
Education Abroad Fair
11am-3pm | RHUU Ballroom
Meet with representatives from various travel providers and learn about how you can study, intern and volunteer around the globe! Hosted by the Education Abroad Office.
Don't Be Scared: Getting to Know Your Professors
5:30pm | Virtual Workshop
Approaching faculty can sometimes be intimidating for students. But developing professional relationships with professors can help students learn about research or internship opportunities, lead to mentorship, career advice, and potential references. This workshop will share tips on how to approach professors and resources at USC to help develop these faculty-student relationships. Hosted by the Student Success Center. RSVP to get the meeting link.
SophoMORE Tie-Dye
1pm-4:30pm | Davis Field II
Bring your own t-shirt or grab one of the 200 FREE sophomore shirts available and learn to tie-dye while hanging out with other sophomore students. Hosted by the Student Success Center.
Rain Date: September 27
Exploring Graduation with Leadership Distinction Workshop
3:30pm | RHUU 203
Sophomore year is the perfect time to connect with opportunities related to your academic, personal, and professional goals. Engaging in meaningful experiences can help you build a robust My USC Experience transcript and earn Graduation with Leadership Distinction. Join the CIEL team to learn more about exploring opportunities, pursuing GLD, and making the most of your sophomore year and beyond! Hosted by the Center for Integrative and Experiential Learning.
Cooking 101: Meal Prep How To
5pm-7pm | Center for Health and Well-being, Room 219
Learning to cook and meal prep is a pretty common learning curve for students in their second year. Join us for this hands-on cooking lesson about how to prep meals for your week! Space is limited to the first 20 sophomores, so make sure to RSVP!
The Cooking workshop is currently at capacity. If you would like to be added to the waitlist in case a spot opens up, please email us at satsi@mailbox.sc.edu
Mutual Expectations Discussion and Luncheon
11:45am-12:45pm | RHUU 322
Join us for a Mutual Expectations Discussion on exploring the topic "What's In A Grade?" in our September session. This chat will encourage students and faculty to discuss all that goes into a grade being assigned in a course and why certain items carry more weight. Hopefully students leave the discussion with a clear understanding of how and why an instructor builds a syllabus in a specific way. RSVP required!
Second Year Success Workshop
6:30pm | Virtual Workshop
Want to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump? We've got the plan for that! Join us for this entertaining workshop about steps you can take to thrive in your second year at Carolina! You'll walk away with your own personal sophomore action plan! Hosted by the Student Success Center. RSVP to reserve your spot.
Career and Internship Fair: STEM Field
12pm-4pm | Carolina Coliseum
Students and employers meet to talk about career, internship and co-op possibilities. Now is the time to start planning for your future internship experience. This fair is targeted at STEM majors. Hosted by the Career Center. Register via Handshake to attend.
Stress Management Workshop
5pm | Virtual Workshop
College is stressful– how do you manage your stress? Experts from the Mental Health Initiative team in Campus Wellness will guide us through the types of stress you can experience and new strategies on how to cope. Hosted by Healthy Campus Initiatives. RSVP to receive the meeting link.
Career and Internship Fair: STEM Field
12pm-4pm | Carolina Coliseum
Students and employers meet to talk about career, internship and co-op possibilities. Now is the time to start planning for your future internship experience. This fair is targeted at STEM majors. Hosted by the Career Center. Register via Handshake to attend.
Preparing for Midterms
5:30pm | Virtual Workshop
Build a practical study plan for your midterm exams by exploring personal study strategies and practicing how to break exam materials down into smaller study units. Hosted by the Student Success Center. RSVP to get the meeting link.
A series of events designed to help teach sophomore students skills that will help them in life outside the four walls of the classroom - skills every adult needs to succeed! Raffle prizes will be drawn at the end of each session.
What are the tips and tricks to stretch your student dollars? How do you pick a bank? What exactly is a money order? How do you keep track of your spending? What apps can help? We will cover some basics on personal finance in this workshop! This free event is hosted by the Student Success Center.
Reserve your spot! (RSVP link)
*Please note that meeting link may not be sent if you register less than 2 hours before the event
What is a credit score? How does a credit card tie into that? Should I have a credit card right now? Can that help or hurt my credit score? We’ll cover what you need to know about credit in this workshop! RSVP to get the meeting link! This free event is hosted by the Student Success Center.
Reserve your spot! (RSVP link)
*Please note that meeting link may not be sent if you register less than 2 hours before the event.
Hear from the experts in the Career Center on how to land the perfect summer internship! The time to start the search is NOW. RSVP to get the meeting link! This free event is hosted by the Student Success Center with content expertise provided by the Career Center.
Reserve your spot! (RSVP link)
*Please note that meeting link may not be sent if you register less than 2 hours before the event.
Hear from USC alumni about what their transition from college to work was and what advice they have for USC students now that they have graduated. You will have the opportunity ask questions of the participants! RSVP to get the meeting link! This free event is hosted by the Student Success Center.
Reserve your spot! (RSVP link)
*Please note that meeting link may not be sent if you register less than 2 hours before the event.
Learning to cook and meal prep is a pretty common learning curve for students in their second year. Join us for this hands-on cooking lesson about how to prep meals for your week! Space is limited to the first 20 sophomores, so make sure to RSVP early! You cannot attend unless you have gotten a confirmation that you are on the RSVP list. This free event is hosted by the Student Success Center with content expertise provided by Healthy Campus Initiatives.
Do you know how to sew the basics- like a button or a hem? Or how to sew on a patch? You'll likely need to know how to do it at some point. Come learn how in this hands-on workshop. This is a FREE event. Registration is required and space is limited. This free event is hosted by the Student Success Center.
How long is that takeout in your fridge good for? You are supposed to change your sheets how often? How do you get a red stain out of a white shirt? We are talking basic home maintenance and cleaning in this workshop. RSVP so we know you are joining us in the SSC! This free event is hosted by the Student Success Center.
Reserve your spot! (RSVP link)
Join in for a hands-on self -defense workshop with experts from USCPD. This is a FREE event. Registration is required and space is limited. This free event is hosted by the Student Success Center with content expertise provided by USCPD.
Reserve your spot! (RSVP link)
This annual event celebrates the huge milestone reached when sophomores are halfway done with their college career. At this point, you have four semesters down and four semesters to go.
The first 200 students to stop by will get a FREE 2026 garnet and black graduation tassel!
Rain Date: TBD
Students in their second year at USC are welcome to join us for this FREE weekend retreat in the mountains! Come reflect on where you've been, where you are now, and where you want to go in the remaining years of college and beyond!
Transportation, lodging, and meals will be provided by the Student Success Center. Students who are accepted to the program and agree to attend, but fail to participate will be charged a cancellation/no-show fee.
The SophoMORE Summit has been canceled. Please check this webpage periodically as we will provide updates about this event in the future.
It is never too early to gain career related work experience. Finding a part-time job or internship can be quite a challenge. Visit the Career Center or Pre-Professional Advising for more information on how to find these opportunities and prep for an internship or job search.
Did you know that some academic units even have an internship coordinator? Check with your academic advisor to see if your college or school has one and set up an appointment to chat.
During sophomore year, many students are deciding on an official major or changing their major. There are many resources to help.
Career Center – This office has many assessments and staff available to help you determine your area of interest.
University Advising Center – Home to Major Change Advising, advisers here can help you figure out which courses will align between majors if you are switching between colleges or schools at the university.
We want to see you succeed at the University of South Carolina — inside and outside of the classroom. The university has developed a number of resources to help students succeed academically. As a second-year student, you may be familiar with many of these already.
Even though many sophomore students move off campus or dive into other activities, it is very important to still be connected to campus. The University of South Carolina offers many opportunities for students to actively participate both on campus and in the community.
Graduation with Leaderships Distinction
Center for Integrative and Experiential Learning (CIEL) helps you get the most out of your Carolina education, from finding experiences to
engage in, to reflecting on what that experience has meant to you. The Graduation
with Leadership Distinction program is a formal distinction that honors the broader
scope of achievements for students engaged within and beyond the classroom.
Undergraduate Research
The Office of Undergraduate Research can help students find many opportunities to engage in undergraduate research with
a focus on faculty-student mentorship.
Service-Learning and Volunteer Opportunities
Service-Learning integrates meaningful community service with academic coursework.
Check out the listing of courses available from the Leadership and Service Center.
The Leadership and Service Center provides an abundance of information on ways you can be involved in the university community and the city of Columbia.
Joining a student service organization brings together like-minded students on a mission to serve those in need.
Domestic Study Away and Study Abroad
Participating in Domestic Study Away, such as the National Student Exchange or international Study Abroad, is a great
way to broaden your horizons and have the experience of a lifetime.
Peer Leadership
Peer Leadership is a wonderful way to give back to your fellow students, serve in
a leadership role, and gain transferable skills for the real world. There are nearly
60 peer leader groups on campus, from tutors to recruitment counselors.
The My USC Experience Database has a complete list of beyond the classroom experiences. Filter to "leadership" in the type of activity for best results.
Many students move into off-campus apartment complexes during the second year at Carolina!