Summary

The author advocates for taking a gap year before college to explore personal interests, gain work experience, and clarify one's future direction.

Abstract

The article "5 Reasons Why You Should Take A Break Before Getting Into A College" by Sonnie Hiles discusses the personal and professional benefits of taking a gap year. The author shares their own experience of feeling overwhelmed by societal and familial expectations after high school and deciding to take a year off. This break allowed them to fulfill bucket list items, discover their true passion, gain relevant work experience, expand their network, and earn money, all of which contributed to a more focused and financially stable start to their college journey. The author emphasizes that a gap year is a unique opportunity for self-discovery and career development that should not be postponed.

Opinions

Taking a gap year is seen as a valuable opportunity for personal growth and self-discovery, rather than a delay in one's education or career.
The author believes that waiting until after college to pursue bucket list activities may result in less enjoyment due to other life responsibilities.
A gap year provides the time needed to determine one's true calling, potentially saving time and money by avoiding misguided educational paths.
Working or interning during a gap year is viewed as a chance to gain meaningful experience and make professional connections that can benefit one's future career.
The author suggests that meeting new people during a gap year not only enriches social experiences but also expands one's professional network.
Earning money during a gap year is considered a practical advantage, potentially reducing the need for student loans to fund college education.
The author advises against procrastinating a gap year, as life's commitments may make it increasingly difficult

5 Reasons Why You Should Take A Break Before Getting Into A College

It’s time to know yourself better than ever

Why I think that it is important to take a break before you get into a college?

As your time at school or college comes to an end, one of the biggest decisions to make is whether you should head straight to university or take a gap year first. While there’s always the chance of going traveling after finishing your degree. There is always a time to do the things after getting your degree.

Here, I want to share my experience of what I did. When I finished my high school, I was so frustrated hearing different opinions of different people. Wherever I go, people only have one question to ask me was what am I going to do after high school? Which stream I will choose for my higher education?

My parents also ask me this similar questions like everyday. I was frustrated hearing all their plans for my life. In all those opinions, my opinion and perspective about my life and career was lost somewhere.

I don’t know what to do my life. I decided to take a gap year cause I don’t want to make decision in hurry and then regret for a lifelong. I don’t want to make any random decisions for my life.

https://smppatel999.medium.com/how-my-gap-year-reshaped-my-life-b7976f8f8383

So, I took a one year of gap before getting into a college. A gap year is the gift that keeps on giving, and it will make you a better person. Here are 5 reasons why:-

(1) You Will Have A Chance To Do The Things Which Are In Bucket list

Believe me! When you tell someone that you will take a break to fulfill your bucket list, most of them will advise you not to do this cause you will have a plenty of time to fulfill your bucket list in future. However, this is not true. When you will finished your degree, you will have thousands of tasks to fulfill. First, you want to get a placement then you want to start a relationship. And then eventually you will start a family. If you will find a time in future, you will not able to enjoy more rather than fulfilling your bucket list in your teenage.

You can do so many things to explore yourself more:-

You can travel to your favourite destinations to come close to yourself.
You can also opt different courses and learn different programs, skills and languages.
You can also opt an internship to get some work experience.
You can learn to live as an independent.
You can learn public speaking, writing or dancing.
You can work on your hobbies that you left in your childhood.

(2) You Will Have A Time To Find Your True Calling:-

A gap year will give you the time to think about what your passion in life really is, and what you should go to school for. There are so many students that don’t figure out what they want to do until it’s too late and they have already paid for an education, so there only options are to either stick with the career that they are able to get into with the degree they have or to go back to school and obtain yet another college degree.

I know it’s not an easy task to find your true calling. But believe me, if you will try to figure this out in your one year you will be more confident about what you really want in your life.

When you will be sure about what you want to do exactly, you will be more productive. This one year of gap will give you a road map of your entire life.

(3) You Will Have Time To Get A Work Experience:-

A gap year is often a great way to get experience specifically related to the career you want. Many companies and organizations offer half-year or full-year internships or volunteer positions, but most people can't do them because they are busy with school or work.

This means these positions are actually often easier to get than many summer jobs, and since they're longer you'll have the benefit of gaining more experience and making stronger connections with the people you're working with. This can mean better letters of recommendation and useful contacts when you're trying to get a job later on down the line.

If you spend your entire year working in the field you want to go into, believe me this is the great investment you have ever made in your career. You can become a master of your field and make a great career.

(4) You Will Have A Time To Increase Your Contact List Of People

No matter what you decide to do during your gap year, you're practically guaranteed to meet new people. Even if you already have great friends, a gap year is an excellent way to meet different kinds of people you wouldn't normally come across.

And in addition to expanding your social circle, you can even use these new friends as networking contacts if they work in a field you want a job in or know someone who can get you a job. By meeting a new people, you will gain knowledge as well as experience.

(5) You Will Have A Time To Make Some Extra Money For Yourself:-

This isn’t the case for all gap years, obviously, but if you decide to take a job or an internship during your gap year that pays, you could make a significant chunk of change during that year. It’s always good to have some side money for yourself. You can use your gap year salary for paying your colleage fees rather than taking a loan.

I would recommend you to make a list of questions and plan your gap year. The most important part of planning your gap year is to decide what your goals for it are. Do you want to travel? Earn some money? Volunteer for an organization you love? Gain experience in the field you want to go into?

Give your priorities to every question and according to it plan your gap year.

Here, one advice I want to give you all of you is make yourself busy during this gape year. Don’t be lazy and waste your time. Use your time wisely and make sure to make your gap year a great investment for your career and future.

Postponing your gap year can often mean it won’t happen at all, so take advantage of one of the few times when you can uproot your life and try something new without lots of things holding you back. Before I decided to take a gap year, I was worried I was going to mess up my life by not following the "plan" I was told was the way to success, but not only was my gap year a great experience, it put me in a better spot financially and professionally than I had been at before.

I hope you will also like to take a gap year before getting into a college.