The trend of taking a gap year after school is growing rapidly among teenagers. There are both advantages and disadvantages to this desicion: it can be a waste of time due to a risk of losing school’s knowledge, however, it can also help one in finding their’s life purpose.
The biggest advantage of not enrolling in university just after graduating from school is the ability to find the purpose of one’s life. After finishing high school, teenagers often struggle with the choice of future career and urgent application to the university without understanding of one’s true values may end up in burn-out. The gap year is often practiced in the USA, where almost every teenager tends to take it after high school. As a result, they obtain enough time to understand themselves and mitigate the hardships of their future studies by being more mature and ready for it.
Regarding the disadvantages, the main drawback is the risk of losing knowledge, which was gained in school. After a year spent in work and travels, some may find it hard to adapt to regular studying. Moreover, the brain often forgets information it doesn’t consider useful, so studying after a long break would not only mean the need to adapt to a new schedule, but also the need to regain knowledge. For instance, many students report that after taking a gap year, it was very stressful to fit in again.
In conclusion, the tendency to take a gap year after school has both advantages, such as understanding oneself and disadvantages, such as a hard adaptation after.