Deciding what to do after graduating high school is a very important decision. Some students might not feel ready yet to make such a big decision, but a lot of young adults will feel pressured by friends and family to attend college. Other students go to college to avoid feeling lost or useless in the world.
There is a lot of stigma around attending college right way when taking a gap year might be a better suited decision for some students. It allows for students to take a break and find themselves after finishing 13 years of school.
A gap year can help motivate students who don’t feel ready for college. College can be a scary place to someone who just finished learning in the same four walls every day for the last four years.
Not everyone is ready for college right away—and that is okay. If college doesn’t feel like the right first step after high school, consider taking a gap year. Whether it is to go abroad, to do an internship or to embark on new adventures; no matter what, it will be a transformative experience.
During a gap year, students will have the time to reflect on any anxieties. If the student decides to return to college, they will have a clearer understanding of who they are and what they want to get out of college. It will be easier to navigate through the newness of college because they won’t have the constant fear that they are making the wrong decision.
There also might be a few young adults that are not ready to be on their own yet. It may be a better decision for them to take a gap year to work and gain experience.
Working instead of attending college right away has many benefits. First, students would be able to build their savings and help pay for college instead of having crazy college debt. Working also makes sure that the student can gain any experience they may not have gained from high school.
A job can teach great time management, organization and communication skills. All of which are a must-have for attending college.
A gap year might also open new opportunities that make attending college unnecessary. There are countless jobs that do not require a college degree and still make a good living.
A gap year is a great idea for any student who doesn’t have a great grasp on what they want to do in the future. It’s not a good idea to rush into college to get a degree that won’t get any use.
It might be better to take a year off to learn and experience new things, take a breather, and really figure out what they want before making some life-changing decisions.
Be the first to comment