Between endless family members and friends trying to talk me out of taking a year off of school, saying “you’ll never want to go back," to my own self for trying to push through another semester I wasn’t prepared for; taking a gap year has ended up being one of the best decisions I could have made for myself.

Before I finally made the decision to do this, I was terrified and worried of how my life would go. I went back and forth between countless questions that went through my head. What would my parents think? What would my family have to say? Could I deal with being another year away from my goals? I was prepared for the disapproval of people, so I had to do this for me.

Here are some things that are important for you to know about me. Ever since I can remember, I have struggled with anxiety. Classrooms full of people I don't know, buildings I've never been in and public speaking projects were triggers for me. I never loved school. Now don't get me wrong, I did fairly well in school, I just never loved being there. That alone pushed me to take a year off and work on me.

During my gap year, I was able to truly found out who I was and what I wanted. I was constantly trying to figure out what I wanted to major in and what I wanted out of my life. After a few months, I really narrowed it down to Early Childhood Development. There is nothing I would rather do than work with kids all day. I didn't just figure out my major during this time, I figured out who I was. I was able to see the world a bit differently. I was able to give my all to my job and be the best me I could be.

My self-esteem entering my gap year was at an all time low, between getting out of a relationship to feeling the stress that college brought, I was struggling a bit. It is now over a year later and I have never been happier. I’m surrounded by so many supportive and loving people that I have been blessed with. I’m confident in the person I am becoming and I'm eager to start again this Fall Semester.

To sum this article up, do what you need to do to better yourself. Don’t think about what others will think, don’t beat yourself up for needing to do this for you. Just make yourself happy.

A gap year does not mean you are giving up. It does not mean you are weak or stupid or a failure. It simply means you needed some time to focus on you. It takes immense courage to say that you need a year, and during that year could be the best opportunities of your life. Remember, life is too short to be even a second unhappy.