Why A Gap Year? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

Why A Gap Year?

Sometimes you need to hit pause for a while.

46
Why A Gap Year?
Her Campus

When you’re a freshman in high school your guidance counselors’ will start talking to you about your future. They explain to you that right after you graduate high school you should go straight into college. We are one of the few countries that do this. Most of Europe takes a gap year. A gap year is defined as a period, typically an academic year, taken by a student as a break between secondary school and higher education.

During this time off from learning the student can do anything he or she wants. Most people travel in different programs, others work. In my case, I went straight to work. While I was in high school I went to a tech program for cosmetology, where I later got my license. However, I was not a practicing cosmetologist, as in I did not work at a salon. Instead, I took on a couple of different jobs. I went to working and being able to occasionally travel when I pleased. In my opinion, taking a gap year was the best decision I ever made.

During my time off from my education, I was able to make money to be able to take care of myself and save for my eventual return to the educational system. My gap year ended up turning into a gap year and a half, but that is okay too. During my endeavors of working non-stop, I realized that I needed to get back to school and work toward my goals. Taking my gap year made me realize what I wanted to do with my life and made me appreciate the educational system more than I had ever before.

In our country, it is frowned upon to not go onto higher education right after high school, but after their first semester/year in college more and more students are coming home because they don’t know what they are not ready to be in college yet. They don’t know what they want to become. All of our lives we live at home with our parents, they take care of us. They help us with our homework, gas money, laundry, cooking/ feeding us. Suddenly at the age of 18, we are thrown out into the world and told that we need to decide what we want to do for the rest of our lives, or at least the next 50 years.

A gap year is not ideal for everyone and not ideal in our country, but most people find more satisfaction with their career choices after they have had some real world experiences. Taking my gap year was the best decision I ever made, with my new respect for higher education I have decided that I need to take advantage of my full potential. I went from a young woman who had nothing but color and hair to look forward to, to a mature woman who has made a plan for her life and plans to go to medical school.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
an image of taylor swift standing center stage surrounded by her backup dancers in elegant peacock esque outfits with a backdrop of clouds and a box rising above the stage the image captures the vibrant aesthetics and energy of her performance during the lover era of her eras tour
StableDiffusion

A three-and-a-half-hour runtime. Nine Eras. Eleven outfit changes. Three surprise songs. Zero breaks. One unforgettable evening. In the past century, no other performer has put on an electric performance quite like Taylor Swift, surpassing her fans ‘wildest dreams’. It is the reason supporters keep coming back to her shows each year. Days later, I’m still in awe of the spectacle ‘Miss Americana’ puts on every few days in a new city. And, like one of Taylor’s exes, has me smiling as I reminisce about the memories of the night we spent together.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

84977
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

10935
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments