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Gap year before University

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attackonpizza
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22 Mar 2014, 10:56 am

Helloo!
I'm thinking of taking a gap year before University but I'm super anxious about getting isolated as most of my friends will be going off to University and I don't want to get into a full cycle of depression.
I'm 18 and from the UK.

Anyone on the same boat or has any thoughts?



Rishikesh
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23 Mar 2014, 8:23 am

Are your friends going to take the same courses at Uni as you are?
Because if not, it is exactly the time when people begin to slowly drift apart (generally speaking).
But other people will come to your life too when you go to Uni.
Are you sure you will be depressed without friends? What are your plans for the gap year?



shortfatbalduglyman
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06 May 2017, 10:34 pm

get a job
volunteer
get an internship
travel
AmeriCorps
job corps
national outdoor leadership school

a gap year sounds cool. wish I had taken one. instead, too much precious lil "parents" pressure to go directly to college. and not just any college, but it just "had" to be a certain one. and not just any major.

but whatever.

a gap year could be good, so you take a break from school. think about what you want to do after graduation. develop social interactions and job skills. life skills. unwind a bit.

although, esp for STEM majors, someone's academic skills might atrophy.

but, of course, atrophy how much and for how long.



Chronos
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06 May 2017, 11:09 pm

Rishikesh wrote:
Are your friends going to take the same courses at Uni as you are?
Because if not, it is exactly the time when people begin to slowly drift apart (generally speaking).
But other people will come to your life too when you go to Uni.
Are you sure you will be depressed without friends? What are your plans for the gap year?


I think only you can decide if this is the right thing for you. If you do decide to take a year off before university, I would advise that you use some of that time to get ahead in some of the courses you will be taking at university.