Why It's Okay To Take A Gap Year

The practice of taking a gap year has become increasingly popular in the last few years. Even President Obama’s daughter Malia is deferring her admission to Harvard University. There are people who say gap years aren’t a good thing and that a student who takes a year or semester off before enrolling in college are less likely to complete a bachelor’s than those who entered college right after high school.

To be honest, taking a gap year or semester is good for several reasons. For me, when I graduated from high school, I was burnt out from all the academic coursework and social atmosphere I was forced to be in. As someone who has a disability which can force me to be an introvert at times, I need time to myself after dealing with people (especially my peers) for so long. I already had three colleges I hoped to attend and the results were denials, waitlists and not finishing an application. So, I was forced to attend the local community college. I'm not bashing community college, but I was personally not all that interested in going to one for several reasons.

I eventually withdrew from the college and took a semester off before going away to a college in Massachusetts in August of 2015. One of the main reasons I stopped going to community college was because I was confused (with what I wanted to do with my life) as well as suffering from brief chronic depression where I’d rather stay reclusive. My time off from school allowed me to recharge for a bit and prioritize my college plans. I no longer wanted to major in Music Business or Audio Production and really fell in love the idea of being a Communications major, which I am now. I was also able to find a school that was reasonably far and did not deny me on the basis of my very terrible SAT Scores.

While I didn’t get a job, I think taking a year off after high school is a good idea, or even a semester if you don’t want to be home for too long. There are programs for gap year kids or you could get a job at the local Target or Starbucks. If you have the means, go out and travel the world or the country. Many of my friends from college told me they took a year or semester to figure out what they wanted to do. In the end, you won’t be judged how long it takes it to get there, but for not getting there at all.