Tierza Watts, associate director of the Center for Student Leaders, Ethics and Public Service, decided it was time to initiate new programs for sophomores after reading an article in About Campus magazine, which detailed some difficulties sophomores encounter in their second year of college.

Molly Schaller, an assistant professor at the University of Dayton, studied sophomore students’ “exploration of themselves, relationships and the future.”

Watts said after other faculty and herself read the article, they were “spurred” to help sophomores on N.C. State’s campus.

“It’s the second year where you realize there’s a lot going on inside [of you],” Watts said. “It’s that time where you no longer are an observer, but the time to get involved.”

As a part of one of her classes, Watts had her students conduct a group research project assessing usual problems sophomore students deal with. Forty-one students took part in the survey.

Rebecca Crain, a junior in psychology and Spanish, said she felt sophomore year is when “the rug is ripped from under you.”

Crain was the stand-in leader and facilitator of the group project.

The survey asked questions about students’ individual lives during sophomore year in five categories: social, friends, academics, family and residential. The majority of those who took the survey were sophomores with some junior and senior responses as well.

“[It was] surprising to me that almost 50 percent of students never felt homesick during the second year,” Crain said.

According to the survey, homesickness was still listed as one of the most frequent problems for sophomores.

Some sophomore students said they observed or experienced at least some kind of homesickness.

Kyle Adams, a sophomore in business management, said he has “friends that go home nearly every weekend.”

Unlike some of his friends, Adams said he has begun to become more independent from his parents.

“I’m still close to my parents, but I don’t have to run to them for every little problem,” Adams said.

Matthew Adams, no relation, a sophomore in computer science and engineering, said he feels he has “always been pretty independent.”

“I never got the homesickness like other people,” Matthew Adams said.

He said even though he was ready to be independent, he still feels scared “about growing up.”

“I’m still trying to figure things out,” Matthew Adams said.

According to Matthew Adams, he wants to switch majors from engineering to business management in hopes of owning a business after he graduates.

Eric Ballard, a sophomore in agriculture, also said he wants to switch his major.

“I’m an agriculture major, but I don’t want to do farming,” Ballard said. “I want to do communication. I feel like I can talk to people.”

Ballard said he wants a career in public relations for athletes.

“We see those students every day,” Roxanna McGraw, director of undergraduate studies, said about students who want to switch majors.

McGraw said her department works with students “in transition.”

“We help them get into their next major,” McGraw said.

Through the “Advising Central (Virtual Advising Center)” link on the NCSU student Web page, students are automatically connected to a large amount of information regarding switching majors, according to McGraw.

The Office of Advising Support, Information and Services provides students with information about academics through “virtual and face-to-face cross curricular advising,” the OASIS Web site stated. Other services include fellowship advising and pre-law advising.

McGraw said she is a NCSU alumna and switched her major three times before graduating with a degree in education. She said she wished she had the resources available to students at NCSU today.

“When I was in school, if I had this option, that would have been very informative,” McGraw said.

Watts said most of the faculty and even students, such as resident advisers, can help students who might feel confused or lost.

“We’re all trained to be a coach or a counselor,” Watts said. “I can help deal with the most basic things.”

McGraw also suggested students participate in cooperative education and study abroad programs offered through the University to gain first-hand experience in their preferred majors.

“Students truly have a realistic idea of what that job would be like,” McGraw said. “Students can see how to translate their coursework to their careers.

Jon Weaver, a senior in mechanical engineering and a leader in the research project about NCSU sophomores, said sophomore year is also where students may experience change in relationships with friends and family.

According to the survey results, 68 percent of students started to spend more time with new friends compared to high school friends.

As a way to make more friends, the survey suggested more activities to take place specifically for sophomores, such as cookouts, retreats and barbecues, according to Weaver.

A sophomore council was formed and held a cookout for sophomores last semester, according to Watts. The council is planning more events for the spring semester.

Most people recognize that sophomores still need some guidance,” Crain said. “They don’t call it ‘the sophomore slump’ for nothing.”

The Office of Parents and Family Services also hosted a webcast last week for parents to voice their concerns about their sophomores and get inputs from counselors and faculty.