Over the past decade, a new approach toward encouraging youth to take a gap year—between the last year of high school and the first year of university—is growing. While this approach is admired by many who believe that it allows students to explore the world and find a real purpose of life, others claim that it is a crucial waste of their precious time which they could rather spend it on education so they can start their career path as early as possible. In this essay, we will discuss both points of view.
On the one hand, many students prefer to travel after high school instead of applying for college, to either occupy voluntary jobs in less wealthy countries such as, educating illiterate people, or work on farms and in services. other students simply choose to relax from academic stress and do simple jobs. the common goal between these two examples, is that both pathways introduce them to the real world; they enable them to encounter real struggles, tolerate other cultures, gain experience and skills at a very young age, thus, they become well-prepared to go on with their upcoming life responsibilities, in addition to deciding on their real purpose and desires for the world.
On the other hand, academic experts strongly argue against this modern strategy, insisting that these young individuals should maximize their educational journey, make use of their fresh brains, so that they can occupy leading positions in our country as well as participating in improving our national economic, health, and education systems. Professor John Camden, from the University of Boston, completely criticizes this pathway, insisting that there is nothing that can beat a young student’s brain, which can be easily shaped. Moreover, it can be directed toward solving real issues and implementing innovative solutions to the national hardships. “It is such a loss for these individuals to let go of their precious time without gaining any academic progress or career achievements,” he added.
In conclusion, life does not come with a manual, whether a person prefers to commit to an academic degree—which in return, contributes to the rise of the nation—or chooses to volunteer or discover the world on his or her own, all paths are welcome to create a diverse community with mixed goals and structures.