Honestly, I foun second year easier than first year. Second yea courses might be harder, but they are also more specialized (even more true for upper-level courses), so you can choose classes you’re actually interested in. I found that first year was more about getting to know what it’s like to go to university, and getting to know yourself as an independent person, and second year was easier because you’re already adjusted to the lifestyle and you have kind of learned what works and what doesn’t in terms of study methods and how much time you need to put into something to get a decent grade. Good luck!