When people think of the usual "order" of how the future is supposed to happen, it usually involves going to college or university RIGHT after graduating high school.

And, if that doesn't happen, then people are judged because of it. I'm here to say that I took a year off to get my life together, and it was the best decision I ever made.

When you think about it, the first year (or so) of college is filled with gen-eds and a good amount of students change their major halfway through or even go in undecided. For me, I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life and I didn't want to spend a whole year paying for school and books if I wasn't sure where I was headed, or even if those classes would have mattered in the long run. Instead, I took the year after graduating to get a trade school certification, work, and sort out my dreams, ambitions, and realities.

When someone mentions they took (or are going to take) a gap year, a lot of people judge because it's not what was "normal" for the longest time. But just because you don't take the traditional route and arent' going straight to college doesn't mean that you can't become a rocket scientist, the president, a CEO, or anything else you put your mind to.

Taking a gap year does not make you any less smart or any less of a student. If you need the time to think about what you want to do with your life, take it. If you need the time to work and save money, do it. If you need time to breathe and be away from stress, do that as well. Ultimately, the amount of time you spent getting your degree does not matter.

What matters is if you put in your 100%, if you loved what you did, and if you did it for you and no one else.