As senior year comes to an end we think about the milestones we have faced. From Friday Night Lights semi-formal to becoming an adult we've all had something to remember. However senior year was also about making decisions for your future. With fall creeping around the corner most students are getting ready to start their life as a new independent adult, but some experience their new freedom in a much different way. Have you ever wanted to travel the world or at least to a different country, have you ever wanted to discover what you're passionate about before you head into the Big World? What if you were able to get the chance to discover who you are before going to college? Well now there's a way you can, and it's called a gap year.

A gap year is a year typically taken by a student as a break between secondary school and higher education. In the United Kingdom and Australia this is considered normal, but the trend is already making its way to the United States. With the current news that Malia Obama will be taking a gap year before her freshman year a lot of schools, and organizations are sharing their input on their views toward students taking a gap year. According to schools like Harvard and Berkeley taking a gap year is actually more beneficial to students. Harbor college has even seen a 33% increase in the number of their incoming students taking a gap year. In an article from Huffington Post, it gives you 10 reasons why taking a gap year will be beneficial. One reason that they gave was that it will allow you discover who you are. While another reason was to get the life experiences/lesson that high school did not teach us. All of these reasons are great way to spend your Gap year.

I believe one should take a gap year if it's for the right reasons. When the time comes, and you have to decide what you want to do with your life, ask yourself this, do I learn everything I need to know about the world ahead? Do I know what I truly want to do with my life.. If you don’t know the answer to these questions maybe a gap year is a good time to discover these things. You’ll have a better understanding of life and a sense of maturity if you do so.