Gap years are becoming more and more common for U.S. students after high school and for those students, transitioning into college is a different experience than other students.
Breaking off the traditional path
Pro: Getting a break from being a full time student can be refreshing and you can learn valuable things away from a formal educational institution.
Con: Getting back into the swing of classes and homework. You may grow a greater appreciation for education after the break, but you won’t develop a greater appreciation for those 20 page research papers.
Turning 21 before all your friends
Pro: Being 21 as a sophomore! You’ll be so cool! It’s a dream come true! Cheers!
Con: Having no friends to go to bars and clubs with because they won’t be 21 for at least another year… Cheers? *Clincks a wine glass in each hand*
Having a unique experience under your belt
Pro: Whether you were traveling, working, or whatever, these experiences can not only be insightful but great resume builders.
Con: Struggling to find people to relate to. People can’t always grasp the idea of not being a full-time student for such a long period of time and they won’t always understand why you did it.
Comparing yourself to high school friends
Pro: You can get advice from all the friends you graduated with. You can learn from their freshmen mishaps and get their survival tips for the sophomore slump.
Con: Feeling like you’re behind while they’re making plans to study abroad and getting internships and you’re still working on those pesky gen-eds.
Being one year behind the friends you graduated with
Pro: They’re all terrified of what happens after graduation and what they’re going to do in “the real world” and you’re relishing in your college years.
Con: You can’t avoid “the real world” forever. You’re friends are all figuring out how to be real people and you don’t know what your next move is.
Talking about it
Pro: It’s a great go-to fun fact for icebreakers and people are usually impressed with your choice to do something so unique.
Con: Having to give the same mundane explanation every time someone asks what you did. Also trying not to sound pretentious or condescending when talking about it.
Life goals
Pro: Getting extra time to figure out your goals and life plan.
Cons: Secretly still being just as clueless as everyone else… But also a year older….