Many people in some nations hold the view that newly graduated high school students should decide whether to work or travel in a gap year. This essay attempts to clarify both the merits and demerits of this tendency before concluding that the former is more significant.
On the one hand, having a year off before going to university is disadvantageous to some extent. Firstly, gap year takers usually start their career path after graduation later than their peers. As a result, they will lag behind their peers in practical work experience, which delays their career start and makes them feel more peer pressure when watching others realize their career aspirations. Secondly, taking a gap year to travel and explore the world also costs a fortune. The reason for this is that students who have just graduated from high school will not have enough money to cover all their expenses when making a journey on their own.
On the other hand, there are a multitude of convincing reasons as to why I believe that having a year-long break brings a lot of benefits to young graduates. One reason is that taking a gap year brings a lot of good chances for them to gain life experience. In fact, high school seniors taking a gap year will learn a lot of life skills, such as communication and problem-solving skills, when doing volunteer work or experiencing real-world work. Another reason is that young graduates can clarify their studies and future careers. Thanks to travelling or working experience, they can not only know more about adult life but also better understand themselves, particularly their interests, strengths, and future goals, which helps them decide their upcoming university coursework and their future career paths.
In conclusion, while it is irrefutable that young students are going to work or travel after graduating high school, I would contend that this choice has a lot of advantages.