Editing Student (section)

==Idiomatic use==
"Freshman" and "sophomore" are sometimes used [[Literal and figurative language|figurative]]ly, almost exclusively in the United States, to refer to a first or second effort ("the singer's ''sophomore'' [[album]]"), or to a [[politician]]'s first or second term in office ("freshman senator") or an [[sportsperson|athlete]]'s first or second year on a [[professional sports team]]. "Junior" and "senior" are not used in this figurative way to refer to third and fourth years or efforts, because of those words' broader meanings of "[[wikt:younger|younger]]" and "[[wikt:older|older]]". A [[junior senator]] is therefore not one who is in a third term of office, but merely one who has not been in the Senate as long as the other senator from their [[U.S. state|state]]. Confusingly, this means that it is possible to be both a "freshman senator" and a "senior senator" simultaneously: for example, if a senator wins election in 2008, and then the other senator from the same state steps down and a new senator elected in 2010, the former senator is both senior senator (having been in the Senate for two years longer) and a freshman senator (being still in their first term).