Gap Year?

I'm on my 2nd gap year! I just didn't know what I wanted to do for schooling after high school and decided to take a year off and work. Turns out, I still didn't want to go to college, so I have been working and doing much the same I did last year. This fall I will continue to work, but I hope to take some community college classes so I'm not using a lot of money.

Side note - my sister's friend was just in Geneva. She was visiting for the week; got back home today.

 

I think your parent's concern might be due to the fact that for most people, it's incredibly difficult to return to school (to start university) once you get a taste of the "freedom" that travelling for a year at 18 gives you.

I'd love to do a year of travel after university. I personally think it's better to do it after university because I wager I'll have made better friends, will be less dependent on my parents/be more viewed as an "adult", will have more "worldly experience" than me at 18, and will be legal in more places (if that's a concern for you). I'm not sure if I can afford to do it though...

 

I'm hoping to be able to do something like that after I graduate college. But if you can come up with the means to do it, then by all means, go for it. It will be a great experience, although waiting a few years, it would still be a good experience.

 

I ended up doing sod all for my gap year because there were no jobs. I say only take a gap year if you have guaranteed financial stability, otherwise you may find yourself in the same position. On the other hand, I had no problem getting back into the flow of school stuff, but then I've always been pretty driven and disciplines (my current habits notwithstanding!)

 

I have never heard of a gap year. I guess I'll have a gap year after 2 more years of HS and 4-5 years of journalism school, lol. I guess it would be nice to be able to have a gap year, but if you took one, if you went back to school you would be behind everyone else I would think if I'm understanding the concept of it right. You'll also have a lot of years to travel the world after school. It may seem like school's the only part of your life right now, but here in a few years it'll be over quicker than you think. It's up to you what you want to do, but I would make a decision that would benefit what you want, and what career path you want to go into in the future.

 

I'll be taking a gap year this year, because I couldn't make up my mind about what I wanted to study. I'll be working with a company as an apprentice engineer for the year, and then going to study engineering. I'll have the freedom of not being at school, but the responsibility (and pay!) of a full time job, so it won't be too bad going back to study afterwards, I hope.

 

I took a gap year, against everyone else's wishes. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life so it seemed stupid to go straight to college. My time off definitely helped me figure things out and pull my life back together (I fell apart hardcore senior year). I was way more ready for college. I would recommend it. It gives you time to really think about what you want to do and where you want to go. Also, if you are able to travel, you may gain a better sense of what and where you want to study.

 

I'm planning on taking a gap year to work on my art if I don't get to the academy I'm applying to, then apply to some art schools abroad next year. Or the year after. I'm conscientious objector and I've got jail/house arrest in 2014 so I have no idea when I'll be able to study abroad.

 

Going to university without a goal and motivation isn't the best idea unless you have infinite money.

I took a gap year in the middle of college. I ended up working full time at a crappy job just to pay the bills and was really motivated to go back to school, so I guess it wasn't all that bad!

 

Going into college right after high school without motivation, a plan, or focus is one of the worst decisions you can make. In hindsight, I probably would have been better off taking a year off versus jumping in and majoring in something I hated, wasting time, energy, and resources. Take a gap if you think it's what you need, but have some idea what you're going to do during and after, at least.

 

I'm taking a gap year next year, going all around the place hopefully, I know I have a place at an internship in Arizona and then perhaps going to London and Zambia but I need confirmation on that, fun times!

 

School or work harder? Difficult to say...

I wasn't schooled in the traditional way. My mom homeschooled me the whole way through. I took some online classes during high school - those were a challenge to make myself sit through. Computers are distracting. Now with work it's easier because I don't have to stress about grades, but I do have to make sure I'm at work on time and doing a good job. I lifeguard and teach swim lessons at a health club, as well as clean for people and do gardening work. My other reasoning for NOT going the traditional route and heading off to college is that my family can't help me out financially and I decided I didn't (and still don't) want to end up with a bunch of student loans that I will be paying off for at least the next 10 years of my life. Now, I have some money saved up so that I can afford to take some community college classes even if I'm not working quite as many hours.

I'd say that if you aren't sure what you want to study, or if you feel that a year off to do some things you always wanted to do after high school, then go for it. I would have loved to travel, but can't afford that. I think that this year I want to go to the community college and get my associates degree in child development. I don't think the program will be too difficult for me to manage, and even though I'm still not entirely sure what I want to do with my career life, I know I want kids one day and having more skills will be helpful no matter what.

 

At my school, we have this thing called 'gap teacher.' Basically, after they finish high school from abroad, these gap teachers take a year off and they come and work at our school doing minor roles/tasks. They are provided with accommodation and income and everything and when they are done with their work they usually go to clubs and bars and enjoy their free time exploring the city etc. My school is also in Bangkok, so imagine all the fun that they can have.

You could try and do that? Apply to be a gap teacher at some international school But it's not all play and fun though. You actually have to work.

 

I spent 2 months in costa Rica doing community services and a long camping trek was defiantly worth it for me, my mum died between school and uni so I needed some time to grieve and I grew up a lot in those couple of months and gave me experiences for degree in travel and tourism. I also made money when I wasn't there working for a gardening company , so my gap year gave me time off work and well as some savings and helped me decide what to study.

 

I'm planning a gap year so I can do an art foundation course which all my teachers have suggested. Hopefully, I'll get to develop my skills and learn a range of new ones which will improve my art portfolio and I'll be able to get into Uni after wards.