Taking time off to figure things out, or taking a gap year can be extremely valuable, especially if you aren’t sure what kind of path you want to follow after high school, or even while in college. This is because figuring out what you want to do for the rest of your life can be quite overwhelming. Taking time off to simply figure things out allows time for things like personal growth, gaining new experiences, as well as figuring things out for yourself.
A key benefit of taking time off to figure things out is that it allows for you to find clarity in what you want to do for the rest of your life, or what you don’t want to do. For example by taking time off, you are able to take a step back and figure out things that you truly have interest in. By taking a gap year, or even a gap semester it allows for you to find out what you really love to do, and find out a lot about who you are as a person.
My freshman year, I took all online classes my second semester, to figure out what I wanted to do, or if I was going to transfer from my previous school. During this time I was able to work on my mental health, get a job, and truly focus on myself. If it wasn’t for that semester of taking time to figure things out, I wouldn’t have ended up at Monmouth.
Another reason as to why giving yourself time to figure things out is so valuable is because it allows for you to focus on yourself completely. It can teach you how to be more independent, while navigating several different things. For example, how to become more self-reliant, and manage new environments. It also allows for you to grow as a person because you can explore new hobbies and new places.
While taking a gap year, you can travel to places you have never been to, whether it is just in the state you live in, or a state you have never been to. This can open up your life to new experiences, new scenery, and maybe some new friends. I wish that I was able to take the time off to travel and see new things, but I just did not have enough time the spring of my freshman year. Taking a gap year or taking time to figure things out, is something that can be truly valuable to those that need guidance on what
to do in the future.