I recently had a conversation with a girl from the UK who is taking a gap year. When I asked her why, she looked like I was going to strangle her. One of the things I realised after moving to the UK is that the so-called gap year may not be as acceptable as people pretend it is. The statement “I’m taking a gap year” is often met with a glazed glance, a surprised: “oh…” and the obvious question: “why?” before the person asked trails off trying to explain their choices in life.
I don’t know about you, but in the last few weeks before leaving for uni I got so used to the question: “so, what are you doing this year?” that I could sense its arrival before the other person knew he was going to ask it. I was so sick of talking about how excited I was to move to London (actually I was bloody scared), make new friends and all that stuff. But now that I think about it, I was quite lucky.
At least I had something to say. I had plans. But what about those who were taking a gap year? That question must have been absolutely dreaded and they must have been struggling to turn the conversation to something other than their glorious future several times a day.
Absolutely none of my best friends in Norway have gone on to university this year. None. They’re either travelling or working. No one as much as raises an eyebrow at the fact that taking a gap year is almost more normal than going straight to university after upper secondary school. To be quite honest; the thought of lying on a beach in Bali for three months is quite appealing now that I think about all those essays I have to write. Living for a couple of months in New York wouldn’t be that bad either.
The perception I have got after my three months in London – correct me if I’m wrong – is that the gap year is only taken as a last resort in the UK, and if you do you can expect many raised eyebrows and clicking of tongues. In the UK you’re abnormal if you take a gap year. In Norway you’re abnormal if you don’t. I don’t know if this makes Norway ahead or behind.
What matters is that people should feel free to live their lives the way they want to, not how society says they should. The point is that the when the gap year is prejudiced it hurts the individual. Students who may be tired and not motivated to go on to uni should not feel forced to do so. What is the point of paying thousands of pounds to start uni if you can’t find the motivation to complete it? Some people may not be cut out for uni or simply need some time to recharge after 13 years of studying.
Taking the step on to higher education should be the students’ choice, not their mum’s or their dad’s. The choice to take a gap year may not even be a result of lack of willpower, but the lack of decision. What about those people who have no clue of what they want to do with their lives? Shouldn’t they be allowed to take a year off to give it a real think, instead of risking choosing the wrong course or university and end up leaving after two months when realising they chose the wrong course?
I was one of those people who had no idea what I wanted to study, but as a result of coincidence and luck I stumbled across my passion for journalism. If some people aren’t that lucky they shouldn’t be forced to do a degree they don’t feel passionate about. I once heard someone say that higher education should be mandatory. That must have been the most stupid idea I have ever heard of.