By Sarah Bachert
At 18 years old, graduating high school, I thought I had my whole life figured out. I was starting at a big football school down south as a finance major. I wanted to be a financial adviser, with one goal in mind, making a lot of money.
Starting my sophomore year I hated finance, business in general, and needed to make a change. I did not do well during my two semesters in college, and I did not know what change I needed. Easier major? Fewer classes? Drop out of my sorority? I did not know. After talking with my mom, I decided that coming home and taking the semester off was my best bet.
I came home back to NJ with no idea what to do. My first thought was “I need a job”. That day as I was talking into Starbucks, I noticed their “hiring” sign. I applied, got the job as a barista, and 3 years later I am still working as a barista at Starbucks! Best job I have ever had.
This is all beside the point, that one semester off turned into a whole year off. Summer of 2020, I transferred to the University of Scranton starting as a Psychology major. I used that year off to think deeply about what means the most to me and what I am actually interested in. Psychology was always something of interest to me and something that had many job options for after graduation. I brought my barista job with me to Scranton, met a bunch of great friends, and learned so much about psychology and myself during my time at Scranton.
Taking a year off will allow you to recognize what is really important to you. There is so much pressure while graduating high school to pick a major and a college without too much thinking. Most kids graduating think they know what they want, and a lot of times, they do know what they want. But for those who are unsure before college, or even after graduating with a degree and deciding on graduate school, a year off can be the perfect option.
I will always be a promoter of taking a gap year. If I didn’t take the year off I would not be graduating this Spring with a degree I love, and the college experience I wanted, but just didn’t know it at the time!