Should I take a gap year?

Hi everyone,
I'm a first year college student wondering if I should take a gap year before I go to uni. Here's some stuff I could do in that gap year:
- Get a part-time job and start making my own money
- Sort out my goals with regards to uni and employment
- Start my medical transition (I'm transgender & this is very important to me)
- Become more independent
But I'm not sure if I should or not. It's a big decision, and I'm worried taking a whole year out of education would make it harder to adjust later. Could anyone who's taken a gap year or decided not to weigh in on the matter?

Reply 1

LJMUStudentReps

Official Rep

14

Original post by EdwinDeRozarieux

Hi everyone,
I'm a first year college student wondering if I should take a gap year before I go to uni. Here's some stuff I could do in that gap year:
- Get a part-time job and start making my own money
- Sort out my goals with regards to uni and employment
- Start my medical transition (I'm transgender & this is very important to me)
- Become more independent
But I'm not sure if I should or not. It's a big decision, and I'm worried taking a whole year out of education would make it harder to adjust later. Could anyone who's taken a gap year or decided not to weigh in on the matter?

Hi @EdwinDeRozarieux,

I took a gap year last year before starting my first year at uni and I can honestly say it was one of the best things I've ever done. I wasn't sure about going to uni so I decided to work solidly for a few months and then go travelling to Thailand and Australia, whilst out there I thought about uni again and decided what course would be best for me and that I did want to go. My gap year made me become a lot more confident and independent and allowed me time to decide what was best for me.

Travelling is not the only thing you can do in a gap year as you have mentioned there are plenty of different opportunities. Working will help you build on vital skills that will make uni easier if that's what you decide in the future. Meeting new people and experiencing different challenges are all good things that whilst at uni are very common experiences. Having your own source of income will allow you to become more independent also and starting your medical transition would be something to focus on in your gap year as-well and you can take the time to make sure you feel happy and where you want to be.

My best advice with a gap year is that if you are unsure whether uni is for you then they are perfect for having the time tot think about what is best and ultimately making sure you do the right thing for yourself. I did not find it hard to adjust back to education after a year out, if anything I felt really ready and motivated to get back into it!

Good luck with whatever you decide to do, if you have any more questions then please do not hesitate to ask, I am more than happy to help you!

Thanks, Matt 🙂
Official LJMU Student Rep

Reply 2

Bethliography

14

Original post by EdwinDeRozarieux

Hi everyone,
I'm a first year college student wondering if I should take a gap year before I go to uni. Here's some stuff I could do in that gap year:
- Get a part-time job and start making my own money
- Sort out my goals with regards to uni and employment
- Start my medical transition (I'm transgender & this is very important to me)
- Become more independent
But I'm not sure if I should or not. It's a big decision, and I'm worried taking a whole year out of education would make it harder to adjust later. Could anyone who's taken a gap year or decided not to weigh in on the matter?

I'm in the middle of my gap year and for me personally it was the best decision I could have made. I wasn't sure what I wanted in my future, and having time away from education allowed me to properly think about it and decide my next steps to make sure they were right for me.

I can't afford to travel, so I've spent my time reorganising my life, picking up new hobbies and looking for work. As long as you spend your time well (e.g. volunteering to add to your CV, working to save for whatever it is you want to do next) then I can recommend it. Good luck :smile:

Reply 3

EdwinDeRozarieux

OP

14

Thank you everyone :smile:

I also can't afford to travel lol so I used to think gap years were only a travel thing. Thank you for confirming my decision ^^ Now I need to figure out a way to tell my parents XD

Should I take a gap year?

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