I'm not very good at narrating stories, or writing in general for that matter, but I'll try my best
Basically, I met my offer to study Physics at Imperial this year, with the insurance of Warwick. For some reason, now sort of obscure to me, I decided to reject these offers and take a gap year, to reapply next year. I've lived a pretty sheltered life, so I thought I'd go out and see the world for a bit and gain some independence - plus I felt I wasn't ready for meeting everyone at uni. Now I feel like I've made a TERRIBLE mistake missing out on university life and being a year behind in everything. Luckily both Imperial and Warwick have guaraunteed me places to study there next year though, so I guess there's that.
I made a late application to the Year In Industry in the hopes of having a good career-oriented thing to do, but it's pretty unlikely now that I'll get a placement. My ideal situation was that I'd get into some good experience with a firm in a science/engineering/finance type industry, so the year would at least be used productively with regard to my CV.
In the midst of my panic I emailed like 10universities asking whether I could be let in - Leeds said yes. I can join their theoretical physics course if I tell them by tomorrow
. If I do then I'd go into Imperial/Warwick after my first year at Leeds, but it seems like it'd be a waste redoing a year just for engagement. My parents say they'll manage financial side of things though, that's the advantage of being middle class I guess.
I honestly don't know what to do at this point. Some insight would be helpful I guess!