Everyone who went to my high school had two things in common: they were all goal-oriented, and they were all extremely intelligent. So it goes without saying that when it came time to apply to colleges, everybody shot for the moon—and made it there, too. Out of the 150 people in my graduating class, almost half were accepted to Top 20 schools; and a significant portion of those people were accepted into Ivy League schools.
Out of the 150 people in my graduating class, not a single person even entertained the idea of doing something besides college after graduating high school. And, looking back, I wish that had been different.
I have loved every minute of my college experience. Every choice I’ve ever made in my life has led me to my current state, which is one that I’m beyond happy with. I have the most amazing friends on the planet. I’m in love with my major. I live in one of the most vibrant cities in America. So much of my life as it is now probably wouldn’t exist if I hadn’t taken the traditional route from high school to college, and I’m extremely grateful to be in the state that I’m in currently. However, part of what makes college so special is that college brings people from all different backgrounds and parts of the world together. So, when I arrived at Emory, I met tons of people who had different educational backgrounds—and a lot of those people had taken a gap year between high school and college.
I wish I had taken a gap year for many reasons, some of those being more obvious than others. I’ve traveled a lot in my life, but from what I’ve heard of other people’s experiences when they took gap years is that it has the potential to completely transform your worldview. Something which a family trip just can’t do on many levels. To be able to really experience a country in its entirety—to be completely exposed to its culture, its food, its art and its people in a way that stays true to the nature of that country—is an experience I hope I can have one day. I also wish I’d taken a gap year because of the timing. To be able to take a break from school in order to learn in new and different ways about the world is something that I wish I could have done at that specific time. Being at that stage in my life—being 18 and so ready to go somewhere new in life—was a pivotal time for me. While I’m glad I came to Emory after graduation because of the people I’ve met and experiences I’ve had, I always wonder if any of that would have been amplified or different in a better way if I had opted to take a gap year.
Needless to say, it doesn’t do well to dwell on what can’t be undone. My high school barely made it known to students that taking a gap year was even an option. The lesson I’ve learned is not only to take charge in making sure that I do what I want to do, even if it doesn’t seem possible, but to also firmly believe that it’s never too late to do something you’ve always wanted to do. Six months ago I didn’t think I would be able to go abroad; now, I’m thrilled to say I’ll be taking a travel writing class in London in the summer. So, while that year of learning in a different way is something I might never experience, I know that the path I’m on is still a purposeful journey.