Taking a gap year can help students find their passions

by ALANAH MULLER

Staff Writer

College is an investment, financially but also physically and emotionally. For a while, I wasn’t sure if that was a commitment I could or wanted to make. However, my gap year gave me time to grow and it changed my perspective on college. It made me realize that although it would be an adjustment and it would be strange, it was an experience I didn’t want to miss out on. 

I understand that sometimes people have a negative perception of gap years. Some think that taking a gap year indicates laziness or a lack of motivation. I never felt as if I was making this decision for those reasons, though. My decision came from a place of genuine curiosity and unknowing. I didn’t want to jump into college completely unprepared and overwhelmed, which could hurt my approach to education. 

“I think one thing I have observed is that often students who take a gap year and return to college to complete their degree often seem to approach this goal with a renewed focus and appreciation for achieving their degree,” said Marion Sanford, director of the James Farmer Multicultural Center.

I was homeschooled growing up, so I had a slightly different childhood than what is considered normal.  I never went to a physical school, which made the idea of going to college daunting. I also had no idea what I wanted to do after graduation. Originally, I was interested in pursuing a medical career, but after taking anatomy and physiology in high school, I realized that didn’t seem like a good path for me. From there, I developed an interest in a career in criminal justice, and so on. 

My slightly out-of-ordinary childhood also gave me a different perspective on things. When I was 17, and everyone else my age was starting their college application process, it occurred to me that I was still unsure about my own plans. This realization drove me to take a gap year. While a lot of students may feel pressure to immediately transition from high school to university, it’s important to understand that no timeline is universal. For me, taking a gap year enabled me to prepare for greater academic success. 

“What I see for students who have taken time to make their transition into college is that often these students are more focused on their academic interest as well as having a clear mind about what they want to do in terms of the path that they take when they get here at university,” said Justin Wilkes, director of the Student Transition Program. 

Wilkes continued, “I think that many of our traditional first year students come in with the same focus, but I do see with students who have taken a gap year that they often tend to come in with a level of focus that I think contributes to them having taken that extra time to really think through and make sure that they were ready to begin their college experience.”

After talking to my parents and laying out my plan for a gap year, I realized this felt like a better choice for me during that time in my life. That experience gave me time to work and experience living away from my parents. Taking a gap year also introduced me to some of my best friends and people who have irrevocably changed my life for the better. It allowed me space to grow and develop my interests and my passions. I am lucky to come from a background that allowed me this opportunity, as I recognize that isn’t the case for everyone. I had the access and resources that allowed me this time, support from my parents, my ability to have a place to move into before moving out and family close by. 

I traveled frequently growing up and visited many historical sites and presidential libraries over the years. I have always been interested in history and political science. Spending time around people who were also interested in these topics helped my interest and passion in the subjects to grow. 

During my gap year, because of how close I lived to Washington, D.C., I was able to visit multiple times. I remember walking down the streets and one moment walking past the Department of Justice, then the next walking by the FBI headquarters. This experience—which I potentially would not have had if I had gone directly to college from high school—solidified my interest in criminal justice and set me on the path I am currently on.

“In my experience, when a student takes a gap year, it has worked to their benefit more so than to their detriment,” said Christopher Williams, assistant director of the James Farmer Multicultural Center. “Using a gap year can work well for students, but there are other examples where students fresh out of high school can thrive at a two-year or four-year environment.”

I am very fortunate that I was given the opportunity to take a gap year. If someone does have the opportunity, there should not be a stigma around them taking it. My gap year gave me the chance to tour colleges and find the best place for me. It also gave me the time to work and to save money. As well as introducing me to some of my best friends, who I’ll know for the rest of our lives. Most importantly, it gave me time to figure out what I wanted. 

So, while it may seem simple for some to write off gap years as a waste of time, they really offer lessons and experiences that are just as valuable as formal education.

“I graduated during COVID so that was the biggest motivator in taking a gap year,” said Carlos Nunes, a senior political science major. “Knowing that my first year in college was going to be entirely online, I felt as though paying for college the first year would have been a waste of my time.”