As I get closer to graduation, I worry about what I’m going to do after college. Many of my friends have some sort of plan but don’t know if that’s the one they want to continue. I hope to continue my education and one day get my Ph.D. but I can’t help but think, what if I take a break? Right now, I’m lucky enough to be studying abroad in Florence, Italy, and the only things I can think about are how I don’t want to leave and ways to make my semester longer. Since my first day of freshman year, I knew I wanted to take some sort of break between my bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree but again, that was just an idea. As I sit here on a train to Rome, I know it would be the most incredible experience to travel, learn another language, and enjoy my life before beginning a new degree.
Why am I unsure about this idea and actually going through with it? Is it because it’s not common or even frowned upon? It’s definitely a more accepted idea nowadays but it’s not a traditional route. Studying abroad is celebrated. Why can’t going abroad after studying be celebrated? We now know that a college degree isn’t required to get a good job and that work experience and life experience is more important. I think taking time off of school would be the most beneficial to someone’s career and life. I don’t want to graduate high school, graduate college, and start a job without getting some cultural experience.
It’s okay to take time off of school but families and advisors should encourage it. In Italy, everyone knows at least two languages and knows so much about the world. We’re required to take languages in high school and college and even take AP history classes but many of us don’t retain the information. To go to Italy and see the Colosseum or go to Greece and see the Acropolis is the most fulfilling experience. Or even taking a language immersion course in Spain would give someone the advantage of communicating with other people and other businesses internationally. It will always be okay to want to take a break and travel or even just take a break to take time off of studying. And sure, it’s good to have a plan of how and when you’ll go back to school but I don’t think it’s a waste of time to at least take a semester off and experience a new environment.