It is a well-known fact that some students should travel or work for a period of time instead of going directly to university. Notwithstanding certain drawbacks associated with this phenomenon, they are far outweighed by the overwhelming benefits.
On the one hand, there are two primary disadvantages of the choice of traveling or working. First, since students have taken a year off, they tend to lose academic momentum. As a result, many students, after taking a bridge year, become overly involved in work and eventually not return to university. Second, when students find employment without having acquired the specialized knowledge taught in university. Indeed, jobs require the more low-skilled , the more low-paid.
On the other hand, the positives of an overseas higher education can offset these negatives. By traveling or working, the young can broaden perspectives and develop independence. This allows them to develop not only self-learning ability to apply for studying in university but also personal financial management to more reasonable spending. Furthermore, if the young generation have life experiences earlier, they will likely gain practical insights into the labor market before picking a major, which will boost their employability and earning potential later on. In fact, companies often prioritize students with more practical work experience over those who only study in school.
In conclusion, although taking a year off is disadvantageous to some extent, once students have a clear plan for themselves during that year, the benefits outweigh the time spent. Short-term study and financial trade-offs will be compensated by personal growth and better professional prospects in the long run.