If you’re a senior in high school, and you’re struggling to figure out where you want to go to college, what you want to be your major, whether or not you want to live on campus, how the heck you’re going to pay for college, or anything like that, let me tell you that you have other options! You don’t HAVE to go to college right after you go to high school (or, in fact, ever).
This year (not exactly by my own choice, but definitely by God’s) I’m taking a gap year, and not going to college right away has actually been one of the best decisions of my life. I would definitely recommend it to everyone, but you can’t just take a break to sit on your couch like a bum; get a job, and move out of your house as soon as possible. Here are some of the advantages of taking a gap year:
1) You have one more year to gain maturity and settle the weight of adult responsibility firmly upon your shoulders.
2) You can spend more time thinking about what you actually WANT to do with your life without all the stress of senior year butting into your decision-making process.
3) (This one is the weirdest one) If you don’t go to college right away, you may actually begin to MISS learning, and thus, be able to more fully appreciate your classes and education at university.
4) You get to take a step back from your family, your schooling, your regular activities, and just think, “Who am I? Who does God want me to be? How can I accomplish that?”
5) You might make fewer dumb mistakes. If you actually have to show up at work to get paid (so that you’re able to pay rent and feed yourself), you can’t stay up partying all night. Again. RESPONSIBILITY.
Of course, nobody HAS to take a gap year, but for some people, it can be immensely helpful.
Catholic and Loving It! 