What are Benefits of Taking a Gap Year After High School?

         By the time high school graduation comes around, we, seniors have been through about 13 years of schooling. That is a lot of years if you think about it. After all these years, the brain can seem to be burnt out with so much formal education. That is why I ask the question regarding the benefits of taking a gap year after high school.

          A gap year is a period of time between high school and college where a student takes time away from the classroom to continue their education in other meaningful ways. It is a time where high school graduates can take time to explore the world and all that it has to offer as well as possibly replenish their energy and motivation for school. I learned some benefits that seem to attract the population of students who take gap years. These include being able to travel and experience new cultures all while possibly discovering hidden passions and prepping for more years of a formal education. Also, taking a gap year leaves doors open to making more memories with friends and having fun while living a full life. Although, research states that gap years have increased in popularity in the United States over the past  years, but more traditional family members and teachers may not quite understand this big decision of some seniors. This opens doors to negative opinions from people that you love and care about. More cons of taking a gap year include the easy ability to get distracted and stay out of school longer than planned if disorganized, as well as the large amount of planning that one has to do regarding their next steps after the gap year. Besides slight cons, taking a gap year has shown to not be crazy, but instead a reasonable decision made by many high school graduates across the world.

Citations: 

https://www.globalcitizenyear.org/content/why-take-a-gap-year/

https://www.goabroad.com/articles/gap-year/gap-year-after-high-school-pros-cons