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Pros and cons of a gap year?

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SirFryanator
Posts: 11149 - Karma: 1,415
I have no idea if I even want to take a gap year anymore. This summer, I'm hoping to land a job at Timberline Lodge at Mt. Hood, OR as a waiter or janitor. After that I want to dedicate a couple months to recording music and working around Seattle during the early fall. During the winter I would be traveling
for ski comps and training and filming and the like, depending on what I can get out of it. I am not sure what I would be
doing during the spring, hopefully I can travel a bit more since many competitions occur in the spring as well. During the summer before heading to college, I'm planning on going to Chile to become 100% fluent in Spanish and work there, while also skiing at Portillo or one of the other summer resorts.

However, if I got deferral and went to the college right away, I'd still get decent skiing in and I love the program there, and it sounds kinda nerdy, but I love learning new stuff. College I hear is COMPLETELY different than high school, and I want to experience that. I just don't know if I'm mature enough yet.

Anyone got any ideas on this? I know it's overall my decision to make but I am stuck. I have until May 1st to decide.
Feb 27 2009 5:55PM
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J_BISCHOF
Posts: 2082 - Karma: 1,449
college really isnt all that different form high school. Except when you get in trouble, they doint tell your parents. And you dont live at home.
Feb 27 2009 5:59PM
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K2skipunk
Posts: 2837 - Karma: 111
For me, I wish i would have taken a year off. I`m in college now and I really just want to ski so bad and work. I know the schooling will benefit me later on, but, right now I think I would have more fun out of school for a year.

Don`t get me wrong, I love college, but I would definitely rather be spending my time somewhere else right now.

For those that might say, "If you don`t go now, you`ll loose motivation and never go back", that`s such bullshit, because you`ll go to better yourself. If you don`t go back, then your probably too lazy to do well in college anyways. I unno. I just wish I would have taken a year off because I know I would have gone back.

If you think you might not go back, then go next year. Well, better just go next year awyways, just to get school out of the way and be done with it.
Feb 27 2009 6:05PM
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Rachy
Posts: 4355 - Karma: 2,761
So I went to college right out of highchool. It was fine. It was way different than highschool. Highschool was full of popular idiots that couldn't get into college. College was full of really interesting people where I took really interesting classes and got to learn what I wanted to learn.

But now I finished my degree and finally went out into the world and discovered that pretty much every one else in every other country does some sort of gap year where they travel and do so much and live an amazing life. I decided to do that this year and lived in Los Angeles, San Diego, Minnesota, traveled to New York and am now living in Mammoth and hoping to make it out to Norway this summer and then live in Huntington Beach and surf for a while. But in the fall, back to school. Taking a year off between is one of the best decisions I could have made. I have made some of my best friends this year and have the best stories from this year. If you can afford it I would live it up as much as possible. Just don't lose site that you want to go to college.
Feb 27 2009 6:18PM
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Dosh
Posts: 1818 - Karma: 14
take a year off! i wish i had. and if you don't ever end up going to college, it clearly was not meant to be in the first place. becoming fluent in spanish sounds like an awesome idea. i am hoping to do the same actually, but in french.
Feb 27 2009 6:23PM
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SirFryanator
Posts: 11149 - Karma: 1,415
I'd have a deferral, which means I have guaranteed admission and I have to go to the college when the gap year is over, which eliminates the option of not going to college. My bases are covered if I go off on these adventures.
Feb 27 2009 6:37PM
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dave44
Posts: 11052 - Karma: 113
I couldn't agree more. For those who aren't sure about school, going on a gap year could be the best decision of your life. If you're lacking motivation for school right now, going a gap year to [for example] ski, could help you realize what you want to do in life. At the end of the year, you will have made your mind up, either thinking it's working out great and I'm carrying on, or deciding it hasn't worked out for you and back to school it is. At least you can say to yourself "I've tried that and it didn't work out" and you won't have any regrets in the future.

Just my philosophy.
Feb 27 2009 6:38PM
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Captain-T
Posts: 855 - Karma: 47
Next year I'm headin to new zealand for 6 months before I go to University. Ive heard its a better idea to go before just so you dont have mad debt like after school. Also, once your finished uni/college, Ive heard that you pretty much just wanna get your life on and dont have time to travel. I could be totally wrong. I dunno.
Feb 27 2009 6:50PM
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Snowcase
Posts: 11456 - Karma: 634
I took this year off and it is easily the best year of my life. I got a taste of the working life and got to try numerous things that I wouldn't have otherwise. I've been saving my money and trying to decide what to go to school for. I'm still not sure what I want to do but I know what I don't want to do.
Feb 27 2009 6:53PM
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Thenowhereman42
Posts: 5682 - Karma: 65
I took a Gap year, spent 3 months teaching English in a remote farming village in the Himilayas, a month bumming around India, 6 weeks bumming around Europe, and then like 6 months just having fun at home, going to parties, getting wasted, chasing women, not having to worry about school.  Best year of my life.

College will always be there when you get back.  But right now is going to be gone tomorrow.
Feb 27 2009 6:55PM
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ski-plastic
Posts: 311 - Karma: 64
After school i worked a bunch then headed out for a season in lake tahoe. Without doubt the most epic time of my life!! Seriously, im at uni now and im already plannin on not being here next year so i can go ski again. DO A GAP YEAR!!!
Feb 27 2009 7:05PM
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ben_southworth
Posts: 1063 - Karma: 447
Holy Balls.
I have almost an identical situation to yours.
Chile and everything.
For a long time I've been set on a gap year, travel, film, etc., but lately Im thinking I might head straight to college (at MIddlebury). Im relatively undecided though. I've heard good things and bad things about it and I'm not quite sure what to do.
Feb 27 2009 7:09PM
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ben_southworth
Posts: 1063 - Karma: 447
That is fantastic. That's similar to what I wanted to do.
I'm curious, what language did they speak in the Himalayas?
And did you learn it there, or already speak it?

That's so sweet though man, sounds awesome
*sorry for the double post
Feb 27 2009 7:14PM
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Thenowhereman42
Posts: 5682 - Karma: 65
They spoke Lepcha, which was their native racial language, Nepali, which was that region's main language (it was right up by the border), Bengali because it was in the West Bengal region of India, and Hindi because thats the language of India.

So English was the 5th language most of them were learning to speak.  It was hugely impressive.  And I didn't really learn any of any of those languages, except for some really simple Nepali and Lepcha (I'm terrible at foriegn language though, I don't have even a slightly basic grasp of Spanish and I've taken like 2 years of it for school).  Pretty much everyone it is totally nessecary to deal with (shop owners, hotel managers, etc) speak English.  Most eveyone under 40 had at least a slight grasp of English.  People over 40.....well you just sort of talked at each other and it worked sort of. Haha

When you travel the world you realize that pretty much everyone speaks English.  Except Italians.
Feb 27 2009 7:31PM
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OhMyBosh
Posts: 5056 - Karma: 170
dont see any cons... if you get a defferal for college just take a year off and live man. im doing it and loving it.
Feb 27 2009 7:59PM
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Dosh
Posts: 1818 - Karma: 14
what do you ant to study @ middlebury?
Feb 27 2009 10:19PM
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Keith_M
Posts: 795 - Karma: 771
my cousin took a gap year to just travel and relax. He said it was one of the best decisions he had ever made. He said he felt alot more ready and prepared for college when he got there.
Feb 27 2009 11:30PM
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SirFryanator
Posts: 11149 - Karma: 1,415
why not? I applied. It's an amazing school. I like CC more though haha
Feb 28 2009 12:03AM
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Silence
Posts: 16030 - Karma: 149
I wish i took a year off after finishing school..

I went straight to university and fucked around with that for 7 years..Now i'm going back and trying to travel and enjoy myself because I never got to after school..

South America would be a great experience too man.
Feb 28 2009 1:35AM
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waterfordsam
Posts: 172 - Karma: 11
Yeah definitely take the year off now or you will probably never do it. I dont know if you have to do loans or not, but if you do, once you start, you really cant take a year off in or after school or they are gonna make you start paying, and a waiters salary wont cut it. So its now or never. Go for it.
Feb 28 2009 1:46AM
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sack
Posts: 4881 - Karma: 147
Go for it.
In my 1.5 years off I worked at factories, saved up money for school (I was living at home), and learned how to snowboard. sounds pretty boring, but I learned so much, and I don't regret it. Working with older people was really interesting too.

Cons: people might get confused when trying to figure out your age; it's possible that you might not want to go back to school;  etc.
Feb 28 2009 3:41AM
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tBatt
Posts: 9632 - Karma: 580
ive been thinking about it too, but most likely wont and havent really weighed my options. a con i know is youre going to be off your parents health insurance, so if youre planning on skiing.. dont get hurt.
Feb 28 2009 9:37AM
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Dosh
Posts: 1818 - Karma: 14
no i asked WHAT you wanted to study there? i know it's an amazing school. there aren't many that are better. i figured maybe you were interested in languages such as spanish. they have probably the best programs for learning foreign languages in the country. i think that's awesome.
Feb 28 2009 11:10AM
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montageskier
Posts: 4725 - Karma: 126
Im in my gap year right now. It was honestly the best decision of my life. I have tried a couple different jobs, and am learning new things. I know I dont want to work in the trades, restaraunt business is cool, marketing is the shit. When i was done with high school I had no motivation to go to college, and didnt know what I want to do in my life. Now I cant wait to start college in the fall, and know what i want to do with my life now.
Feb 28 2009 11:50AM
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SirFryanator
Posts: 11149 - Karma: 1,415
So I'm honestly rethinking this whole thing again. I know that it would be amazing but I don't have enough plans set up right now for me to be sure I would do it. I have to send in the proposal letter by the 1st of May...a week or so. The only thing I have set up is an internship in November/December and I don't even have all the details of that yet. Kinda sketchy.
Apr 21 2009 9:56PM
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OhMyBosh
Posts: 5056 - Karma: 170
im on my gap year. i dont know why you wouldnt do it?

you get a year to experience different things in the prime of your life with nothing else to worry about. whats not to like? when else would you have the chance to just take a year off and get a bunch of sick jobs and ski all winter and whatever else?
Apr 21 2009 10:00PM
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SirFryanator
Posts: 11149 - Karma: 1,415
the schools I want to go to need to have defined plans. which I don't have, and I don't feel comfy going on a gap year if I don't have things planned out.
Apr 21 2009 10:02PM
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