Take a year off?

[MaverickLlama]

I've been thinking about this, and my opinion may have changed by the time I finish high school....

Posted Sun Apr 11, 2004 7:52 pm:

Don't all yell out at once, jeez....

[Shyknight]

I've heard that most people who decide to take 'a year off' never go to college at all. They get used to life without school and they don't want to give up so much of their time and money. Sure, they SAY they'll go back to school in a year, but when the time comes they decide they are through with school.

Besides, in adult life you can never really take a year off. A week or two off, perhaps, but most of that time will be spent working for a living. That is, unless you're still living with your parents. My parents let me live with them only while I'm still going to college nearby... and I'm expected to work also. If I had decided to 'take a year off' I would be struggling on my own in an apartment, working full-time, and doing without many things I like.

So I say, go ahead and take a year off if you're sure you can make yourself go back to school after that. An education is important and in the long run gives a huge boost to your income. And also make sure you would actually be happier doing that. I met a lot of friends at college and I think had I not gone I would be miserable right now.

[daemon princess]

You get summers off. What more do you need? A year to go travelling is a wonderful idea, but I'd recommend waiting until after college. That way, there's a little less of the pressure with what you're going to do when you graduate.

[Skorpion]

Taking a year off isn't a bad thing. I'm planning to take a gap year to go travelling around America myself, and I don't see why it could be bad for anyone else.

[Jamie Bond]

I took a year off, went to college, couldnt figure out a major, now im in the middle of taking another year off =p


I suggest taking a year off only if you really cant decide on what you want to DO at college.



But then again it varies for different poepe. Some shouldnt, or they wont ever go back, as it's been said. You yourself would know what kind of person you are better then anyone here =p

[daemon princess]

If you can't decide what to do in college, then get an Associate's Degree at community college. Since most of American college is general classes rather than your actual major, you can get two years of those classes out of the way for a lot cheaper. I'd recommend it even if you think you do know what you want to study at college.

[MissCheetah]

Layla is wise. My sister did exactly that while working in the field she chose (finance). She got her Associates in Gen Studies then transfered to Uni her junior year for her degree in Econ/Marketing. She has a great job now in her chosen field and has no student loans to pay off.


By going to a Community College first she had more free time to play, had two extra years to decide what to major in before going to Uni, and spent far less money on it than had she gone away her freshman year. It is a great compromise.

[mikehendo]

Taking a year off may help you realize that you really need to go to college to do what you want to. I know that the time that i took off between college and grad school made me want to come to grad school all that much more..

[Smaointe]

I started uni at 22.. the time off was good - I was enthusiastic about studying again. My GPA is 6.0 at the moment, I don't think I could have done that if I went straight to uni from school.

On the other hand, it sucks to see all of your friends already finished their degrees.

I'm taking a year off this year due to huge work stresses. There's no way I could concentrate on studying at the moment, so I need the time off, but I know I will feel lousy about losing a year, down the track.

[RandyWang]

Just remember, Llama is as Llama does...

[Cyrus]

I don't know..... im confused....

*Votes Smaointe*

[zoderian]

I say take a year off and work, gives you a break that most often is well needed and you get enough time to get bored with your job so you want to get back to school. That's what I did atleast

Posted Tue Apr 13, 2004 9:38 am:

Cyrus1's signature

How can i be lost? i was never found.

Everybody's lost.. didn't you hear me!?!?
btw you remind me of someone

[Azurain]

lol, it's a 4-way spread with 5 votes for each as I post this...

Amusingly diverse opinions here... I'd say that taking a year or two off between highschool and college/university (or after a year or two of college as I did) is a very beneficial thing, especially if you have any motivational problems at school. Like if you don't give a shit, as I didn't give a shit in high school. When I go back to school this fall after 3 years off (was only to be two but serious illness kicked it back a year.. ah well, better this than having had to take off a year in the middle of college; illness doesn't wait on education:) I will most certainly be quite motivated and have a good work ethic. If I'd gone straight from college to university, I'd never have taken it seriously enough to succeed as well as I expect to this fall.

Plus it's excellent for making sure you really know what you want in the future, for understanding what it takes to survive on your own (assuming you'd move out and live in an apartment with a friend or two for the year), and just over all having a good experience. Unless you have nine years of school ahead of you (which I may have *shudders*), in which case you may want to get started right away...

So, uh, yeah... as a fellow Chris I assert my derivative authority to demand that you take said year off from school and figure things out (trust me, it really does put things in perspective).

: )

(edited to point out that going to a community college for a couple years is almost always a good idea in any case, as it is far cheaper and a better learning environment, and as long as you get your actual degree at a good university, it doesn't really matter much)

-- Chris