I am most likely going to take a gap year next year before attending college and I was wondering if anyone had an experience doing so. I have been researching different gap year ideas and I think I've settled on volunteering for a year as an english teacher for underprivileged children in the patagonia region of Chile. For those who may have taken time off after high school, did you find it hard to go back to school afterwards? I really would love to take some time to do something different, catch up on several years' worth of reading (i want to read all the classics, ambitious i know...), and just take a break from the traditional academic environment while still learning in the process. If anyone has other intriguing ideas about how I could use my time I would really appreciate it.
I'm getting ready for a gap semester after 2.5 years of college. I pretty much forced myself to take a break because I haven't figured out where I want to transfer to. Not knowing this isn't a smart move by me, I know, but I plan to use most of my time productively. As of right now I haven't written my to-do list, but I can start right now: Reconsider my major. FIND A COLLEGE TO TRANSFER TO! Hopefully find another job or a volunteer activity for my resume. Clean my room. Read a few books. Brush up on geography. Finally try out my brother's Wii. Help more around the house: do dishes, clean, etc. And, perhaps most importantly, clear my mind. This should be my opportune time because I take school (too?) seriously. As for taking this gap, I don't really have an opinion. I figure you can delay college and still be successful. It's just a short period of time.
yeah i really think it would do me a lot of good to take a break for once. I come from a pressure-cooker town and high school and I have barely been able to breathe for the last 4 years, even though I guess I have enjoyed my high school experience on the whole
I took a year off after high school. I worked full time, saved up some money, and went backpacking around Europe for a couple of months before starting university. It's a wonderful idea, but starting back at school was kind of rough after being out for a year. I guess it depends on the kind of person you are, but if you can manage it, I would say it's a good idea.
As long as you do something useful with the time it's fine. Personally, if I don't get into the college I want, I'm going to take a year off and work an internship in Germany then reapply the next year or something.
For a serious answer, I'm doing the extra year....I woulda rather gone to school though but that's because I don't have one of the best jobs out there >_>...It is a great way to get some money before you go though. The only thing, it would be alot better to take the extra semester then work the other half. That way your brain isn't inactive (school wise) for too-too long.
My gap year has lasted for... (counts on fingers) nearly 5 and a half years! Be careful about getting back to it after that 1 year is up!
yikes! thats what I'm afraid of. if i get into my top choice school i will probably just go right away because they provide full grants to do summer traveling for almost any student who has a valid idea and so I could probably do the chile thing under those circumstances. i dunno i guess we'll see
Maybe after taking a year out it could be more difficult to get back into the full-time education way of thinking? Plus you could have forgotten some of what you learnt previously, which would make it more difficult to understand the new stuff.
yeah especially in certain disciplines. I plan on majoring in Chinese / Mathematics and while I would definitely maintain my chinese while taking my gap year, i think I would forget a lot of what I learned in Calculus I and II which would hinder me from jumping straight into multivariable calculus during my first year... BLEH i really want to relax
I have a pretty good friend who took a gap year and traveled to Guatamala for a month and lived in Thailand for about 2 and a half months. Now he's at Union College and loves it. I think teaching English to underprivileged children in Chile would be an excellent thing to do during a gap year. And about reading classics - yeah! I have no time to read for pleasure anymore! I guess a gap year will give you that time.
Yea you see...take the GAP (although I still prefer Old Navy) year if you have something to do. Because in Ontario they expect you to talk about what you've done since school was out as a part of the university application process? What can I tell them? I worked a crappy job...with even crappier hours. ...Russian Roulette party at my house! (joking) And if you do take the full year...try and do something somewhat educational...like read and write alot. It is what I should be doing (considering I want to go into screenwriting) but...I don't have much time to even get my brain back into 4th gear to sit down and read or write....no, I really only have time to let my brain rust over in 1st gear as I slowly wait for the yet still to far fall. Where perhaps freedom and love awaits for me in the big city.
Well first of all, it's creepy how similar we are. Hehe My story in a nut: graduated 06' didn't go in fall, due to high ambitions and low income... but not entirely... I didn't have backup schools and didn't get into my top choice. So anyways I took the Fall off and since my parents don't push me to do anything I didn't work and had all the time for myself. WOW what a relief from pressure of working so hard in high school than free time, and like you I had a list of stuff to take care of. First... when given free time, you usually stray from remaining 'grounded' no matter how much you want.. well me at least, and I'm good at keeping track. It's just this thing that happens, since you don't NEED to, you kinda put stuff off. So I didn't read as much as I should have, and never got a job. That being said, I went to University in spring this year and the waiting really did help sort of. I had college credits already so that missed semester wasn't a big deal, and I really enjoyed it. BUT, that was not the school or the major for me, I didn't return this fall because I TRULY know what I want from my college experience, and that wasn't it and I wasn't prepared to throw money away when I was unsatisfied. So I've spent my time probably just as careless this fall being off and from summer too. I don't work. (Although finally may get hired at Borders!! MY DREAM JOB) But I've been accepted to this school here that I will bide my time for a semester taking my last 'basic' classes before I head off to Boston for my goal school. Just make sure it's really what you want. Trust me the whole tiredness of work and wanting free time is fun for like the first week or two then it gets stagnant and repetitive. I've never been scared of taking time off, because it's my life and I wanna do it right, I've always known that I want nothing more than a college education so I know I'll go back, and I've been lucky to have supporting parents to let me find my way. Hmm hope that helps.
:dry: Lucky.... No work and all play. Actually with the brief time I had off between jobs I played alot of Xbox 360 and I hate bumming around the xbox for days on end. And now that I have a job I never play xbox 360...wierd. Anyways make sure to get involved with something though because a year off is a LOOOONNG time. :dry: Okay my posts are weak...I should sleep and then post
Ehhh kinda... I often wish my parents did push me so that I would at least get more accomplished. My mom's theory is "you will work more days of your life than you will ever have free time, enjoy it" plus my grades and general helpfulness around the house have always been a good selling point for me having free time.
