After 4 years of undergrad and a soon-to-be bachelor’s degree in hand, I am willingly choosing to shoot for another 3 to 4 years of school. Which, despite some nerves, I am excited about. Although going back to school wasn’t something I was always set on, as I began envisioning my future, I felt more drawn to it.
With that being said, before going back, I made the executive decision to take a year off. Between paying off loans, applying to schools, gaining some type of experience in my field, and attending school for a long 16 years, a gap year seemed inevitable, and genuinely much needed.
So why does the idea of taking some time off before school, fill me with instant guilt?
I’ve considered that this feeling is rooted in my own personal insecurities. For one, a large part of my identity is rooted in my academic success, so no longer being tied to grades is a hard pill to swallow. For two, being out in the “real world”—whatever that means—is scary, and admittedly, taking a gap year feels like a ticking time bomb to see how long it will take me to get a job with my degree.
Now, insecurities aside, my rumination is not limited to my own thoughts, but also a result of the stigma associated with taking 365 days off. From the negatives with a gap year, I found positive alternatives to consider… because I don’t want the idea of taking a gap year to feel like a pit in the stomach anymore.
Losing Momentum
Okay, this critique of taking a gap year, I hear a lot. The response I receive most often is, “You’re bound to lose momentum” or “It’s going to be difficult getting back into the groove.” I think there is a level of truth to these statements, as yeah, sometimes people don’t go back to school, but here’s my alternative logic: if 12 months pass and I can’t bear muscling through additional years of school, maybe I wasn’t meant to go back in the first place.
I’d also make the counterpoint that going straight into a graduate program may set me up for failure if I’m mentally drained from over a decade of school. This is why allocating myself some extra time off may set me up for success in the long run, preventing major burnout down the line.
So, sure, there’s a possibility I could lose momentum, but if I’m motivated enough to go back to school, I’ll be walking into a classroom with a refreshed mind and readiness to learn.
You’re “Falling Behind”
People often equate a gap with the word delay, and usually forget that a gap year is not an endless vacation with a pina colada in hand at all times. For many, a gap year can be a time to refine their resume, apply to school, and gain some entry-level job experience. All of these are proactive steps to prevent losing momentum and only setting oneself up for long-term success.
At least for me, the reason I chose a gap year was to get my ducks in a row. I’ve never really thought of a gap year as falling behind, because I had a concrete plan to follow it. For example, I am going to carve out time to strengthen my resume, work on my applications, apply to school, and gain degree work experience. So the stigma that a gap year equates to “falling behind” is not true if I plan accordingly and remain disciplined.
Why a Gap Year Can Be of Benefit
Everything aside, a lot of factors come into play when considering a gap year. Sure, if I were to take a gap year with no game plan or direction, then these negatives would be justifiable, but that’s not really the reality for me and many others. My gap year will be dedicated to bettering myself, strengthening my skills, applying to school, honing in on exactly what I want in life, and hopefully some self-discovery.
Below are additional helpful tips and gap year advice for those considering taking time off!
I totally understand why a gap year is not for everyone, but for me and many others, it is.
I don’t think I should feel immense guilt for taking time off—nor do I think others should look down on people who do. Maybe my guilt says something about me, and the effect people’s opinions have on me. But now I truly believe, if I don’t start listening to myself and my own needs, I am never going to fulfill the life I want to live. My gap year is my choice, and maybe it’ll be the best decision, or I’ll live to regret it; nonetheless, it’s a choice sealed with some type of certainty that I need—give or take— 365 days off.