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Take a year off? Halp

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Deezy
Posts: 4580 - Karma: 1,004
Anyone here take a year off after highschool and before uni? i rly dont know what i wanna do so im thinking of taking some time to think about it.

anyone here take a year off? is it worth it? bla bla speak about how u guys chose what u wanted to do im decently lost here.

mechanical engineer? business commerce? photojournalism? like fuck i duno.

halp NS
Feb 22 2011 11:25PM
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Deezy
Posts: 4580 - Karma: 1,004
no bites nsg?
bump
Feb 22 2011 11:33PM
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.AR6rider.
Posts: 15976 - Karma: 8,799
I've heard a lot of people say once you take a year off it's really hard to go back, so I'd personally just sack up and go to college right after high school.
Feb 22 2011 11:34PM
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9215 - Karma: 5,398
do what you like, but consider the future implications of your degree. I'll have a fancy type of bio degree when it's all said and done and i'll probably get to do something cool if i can find it. i'd go with engineering out of those.

and it's not like you don't have fun at college. you get huge breaks anyway so i don't see a point in taking a year off. might as well get it done while you're young.
Feb 22 2011 11:39PM
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Phil-X-
Posts: 7205 - Karma: 14,399
take a year off when you finish =]
Feb 22 2011 11:54PM
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Mead
Posts: 285 - Karma: 42
Take a year off...don't burn money till you're motivated to do what you wanna do. If you don't wanna go, you don't wanna go. If you find out that workin the 9-5 at 7/11 isn't for you, you have some motivation to do what you wanna do, and do your best at college.
Feb 22 2011 11:57PM
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Funkadelic
Posts: 1967 - Karma: 391
If you do plan on going to college what's wrong with going undeclared? That's what a lot of people do. You'll still have 2 years to figure out exactly what you want to do and you can knock out all the annoying gen eds in the process.
Feb 22 2011 11:59PM
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Dhane
Posts: 3866 - Karma: 1,722
i would have to agree with this statement. i took a year off and decided i was never going to work for 9 bucks an hour in my life again. at the same time i got to experience new places and meet new people i wouldnt have in college who truly influenced my thinking in choosing a major. saved a ton of dough, got motivated and still got into my choice school. granted, i know people who have taken a year off which has since turned to 5 years off and they are working jobs for shit wages and no time off. it's not for everybody, and if you dont end up going to school thats your own damn fault.
Feb 23 2011 12:04AM
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O.G.Surachai
Posts: 334 - Karma: 84
One of my regrets thus far in life is jumping into college as soon as I did. If I could do it again I would take at least a semester off and travel. You can buy a 'round the world' ticket and just go wherever you want. It's kinda pricey but I bet it would be incredible. I wasn't really mature enough to deal with the actual school part of college so the partying aspect kinda drug me in my first couple of semester and it took the rest of my college career to get my grades back up. I was pretty much in the same situation as you, didn't know what I wanted to do. You might not find out what it is you wanna do but it can't hurt to give yourself a break before moving on to the next part of your life.
Feb 23 2011 12:08AM
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PhilboydStudge
Posts: 3431 - Karma: 206
From the people I've talked to who've done it, it definitely seems worth it if you don't know what you want to do with your life.
Feb 23 2011 12:53AM
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ryano
Posts: 4465 - Karma: 1,535
i personally am in the middle of taking a year off. I went to college right out of highschool then realized i still wasnt sure where i wanted to end up in life. as far as a degree and career.

talk it over tho. with your parents, i had other prof's to talk to at the time about it too. just talk with adults about it and what not.

as far as it being hard to go back, i just told myself i was going back the next fall no matter what or where i was at with my decisions. because i know if i dont go back this fall, i prolly wont ever. So just make your decision like that and stand by it. if you do that, you'll be fine.

i personally took the opportunity to move out of state and get away from almost everyone i knew. meet new people, start a "new life" almost. to just clear my head of what everyone back home was telling me to do. if you dont move out of state, i would suggest moving out of home. so you have the chance to think for yourself a bit.

i do not regret taking the year off. i've figured out a lot of stuff, already met some really cool people, and am pursuing a career in what i want to do and try to do. i am moving back to MN to go back to school in the fall tho. even tho i dont want to. you do what you have to do.

just plan it out. think about it. and stick to your plans.
Feb 23 2011 12:59AM
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charmander
Posts: 10636 - Karma: 370
this.

or, just take a few classes at community college or something

to keep you in a school, but just barely y'know?
Feb 23 2011 1:01AM
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icon1234
Posts: 3081 - Karma: 1,475
In the end it's not going to matter if you graduate in 6 years, 4 years, start a year late, 2 years late, etc. The important thing however is do you have the will and determination to go back to school after taking a year off?

Also you do know that college is a lot of fun, obviously its tough and a lot of work, but 100x better then high school. I personally would much rather be a full time student, then take a year off and work part time and ski bum living paycheck to paycheck style.
Feb 23 2011 1:06AM
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comeatmebro
Posts: 10720 - Karma: 66
i kinda wish i would have some times just because i graduate in only 16 months instead of 4 years or whatever. but it's all good.
Feb 23 2011 1:11AM
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icon1234
Posts: 3081 - Karma: 1,475
O if you are taking a year off cause you don't know what you want to do that is prob the worst reason you could have. What will taking a year off of school do for you, how is it going to magically find you an occupation? If you are serious, then the summer before college shadow a bunch of professions that you may have interest in, you can accomplish a variety of occupations in just a few months, you don't need to take an entire year off to explore your opportunities.

A little anecdotal evidence for you tho, I came into college undecided, I had a plan that maybe I wanted to be a lawyer but nothing set in stone. Anyways I took a bunch of generic classes, I took all my math classes (Calc) which could be used for any major, then I took a bunch of what my school calls breath of knowledge classes, econ, history, etc. Took a business law class, hated it scratched off lawyer, then in my last quarter I took a general biology class and found it really interesting. Shadowed a doctor during the summer for a week, then declared my major to Biology pre-med at the start of this year and its been a good time. Even though I came in undecided I didn't lose almost any time, because the classes I took were required for almost every single major.

So my advice, go to college straight out of school, go in undecided take that time to figure out what you want to do and declare your major/program the following year. O and anything can happen, I failed biology in high school and hated it with a passion, now its a my major, never would of guessed 5 years ago.
Feb 23 2011 1:15AM
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bangarangmules
Posts: 5065 - Karma: 84
I would do this when I was in your position, or even just go to a community college and save some cash. You're going to have to get those credits out of the way eventually. My girlfriend didn't declare her childhood ed major until towards the end of her sophomore year and she's still going to graduate on time.
Feb 23 2011 1:25AM
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Dustin.
Posts: 13839 - Karma: 7,704
High school is like 4 years off after a lifetime of having fun. Honestly you'll realize this after you finish your first two really easy years of college and start doing something difficult.
Feb 23 2011 1:35AM
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blatt
Posts: 5584 - Karma: 3,097
Do a job that you will have fun doing. Or something that you're conceptually interested. Like could you see yourself working as an engineer for a third of your life?
Feb 23 2011 1:38AM
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alexg1687
Posts: 1505 - Karma: 1,581
take a holiday in australia. for a few months. you dont have to be 21 to drink here...just 18
Feb 23 2011 9:23AM
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lotsoffun
Posts: 278 - Karma: 15
the worst thing you could do for yourself is go to school just because everyone else is. dont study anything you're not interested in, and if you haven't found it yet? then take a year off, work, travel, visit friends, and figure out what you truly love. it will save you time and happiness in the long run
Feb 23 2011 11:14AM
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lotsoffun
Posts: 278 - Karma: 15
the worst thing you could do for yourself is go to school just because everyone else is. dont study anything you're not interested in, and if you haven't found it yet? then take a year off, work, travel, visit friends, and figure out what you truly love. it will save you time and happiness in the long run
Feb 23 2011 11:14AM
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Animal.Party
Posts: 311 - Karma: 158
this is bang on, im taking a year off making money but its made me realize i want to go to University and get a good education.
Feb 23 2011 11:44AM
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icon1234
Posts: 3081 - Karma: 1,475
The worst thing you can do is take a year off and expect after doing a bunch of unproductive shit you will magically find your calling. You think that your going to magically want to be a pilot, by flying on an airplane as a passenger a few times? You think by visiting your friends is somehow going to to find what you want to do?

Like i said earlier, if you don't know what you want to do, then go into college undecided take a bunch classes covering multiple genres. Then if you find interest in a subject, shadow people who have an occupation in the subject matter and see if its right for you.

Doing nothing but having a good time is not going to magically find what you want to do in life, if anything it will just mess with your priorities .If you want to take a year off, then I suggest working full time and seeing how shitty it is working, then you will have the will to go to school.
Feb 23 2011 1:37PM
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hollygrove
Posts: 7845 - Karma: 93
You're fucking negative, jesus christ man. Have you ever heard of enjoying yourself? Life isn't all about success.

To OP, I graded last year and am currently on my "gap year" and fuck man, I'm having a great time. I work three days a week and ski the other 4. I've been doing a bunch for partying, a bunch of skiing, and still making some money. As soon as skiing ends I'm flying to Indonesia to spend two months hanging out in some tropical place with a bunch of friends. I've applied to a bunch of schools and plan on going to school next September. No lose of motivation on my behalf. I look at it like this, if you have any doubts about going to school right away, I say don't! There's a lot of life out there that school doesn't fulfill, I say find it, then if you still ahve a desire to do school, then take those steps. Enjoy!
Feb 23 2011 4:07PM
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Dosh
Posts: 1818 - Karma: 14
your advice sucks man! i am graduating in 3 months and i really regret not taking a year off before i went to school. unless you aren't motivated to begin with, you will definitely want to go back to school. a year off working and traveling some would have been a great experience for me and i would have started school far more focused than i did. and a lot of kids can't afford to "shadow" a doctor or have unpaid internships because they need to make money for school. i'm going to take a guess that you have extremely overbearing parents.
Feb 23 2011 4:33PM
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all-i-do-is=ski
Posts: 700 - Karma: 248
^ go for that, take it at Queen's, its really awesome.
Feb 23 2011 4:57PM
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icon1234
Posts: 3081 - Karma: 1,475
Hahaha holy shit. First off I didn't pay anyone to shadow a fucking doctor, who the fuck does that? We have a bunch of family friends who happen to be doctors, and I simply asked one them hey can I shadow you for a week, and he was more then enthusiastic to do so. In fact, if you go to any sort of practice outside a hospital and it fairly easy to do it, and it doesn't cost money... at least to my knowledge.

Second of all you fucking morons need to fucking read. The OP said he wanted to take a year off for the underlying reason that he doesn't know what he wants to do. Never in his post did he state, that "I am sick of school, and if I go straight to college I wont have motivation". In fact if you read one of my previous posts I even said it doesn't matter if you go graduate in 5-6 years, or you go to school a few years late, all that matters is that you go and finish it.

There is nothing wrong about taking a year off, and travel and see the world when you are young. I wouldn't mind doing it either. But the OP simply said he didn't want to go straight to school because he didn't know what he wanted to do, and I simply stated soul searching by doing nothing for a year isn't going to magically find you your calling.

Also sick "reads" on me bro, they were spot on.
Feb 23 2011 5:49PM
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-ROY-
Posts: 3633 - Karma: 1,503
ive been on a break from school for two semesters and honestly. it sucks. People are always saying how school sucks exams suck blah blah. Dude working all the time sucks. If you do take time off travel or some shit
Feb 23 2011 5:56PM
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PotFarmer
Posts: 104 - Karma: 10
Go on a mission. There isn't anything wrong with spreading the word of God! :)
Feb 23 2011 6:06PM
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HermioneGranger
Posts: 1933 - Karma: 101
How I decided what I wanted to do.... Wow, that is a question. It took me awhile to determine where I wanted to go with my life, but, in short, it was, and still is, the result of a burgeoning desire to master the human condition, the desire to understand what it means to be human. I decided the best way for me to achieve this goal was to become a history professor, so that is what I am currently working on.

Take a year off from school and work if you think that is the best choice for your well being. With me, however, that didn't seem realistic, since I have 10 years worth of school I need to complete before my goal can be achieved.

So, there you have it.
Feb 23 2011 6:07PM
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lotsoffun
Posts: 278 - Karma: 15
besides the part that its really just a drawn out fairytale. other than the fact that you're spreading a giant lie that causes war and death, there isn't anything wrong with that.
Feb 23 2011 6:29PM
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t-roy
Posts: 4041 - Karma: 52
take a year off, someone needs to wash the dishes and pick up garbage ;)


Feb 23 2011 6:51PM
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.jersey
Posts: 1925 - Karma: 9
agreed, alota people lose all of their motivation. If you have no idea what you want to do then study at a community college for a year or two and then transfer into a university. just keep your mind open, you'll find something. do what you love
Feb 23 2011 6:54PM
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PotFarmer
Posts: 104 - Karma: 10
Don't you dare talk about the LORD like that! You're going to HELL if you're not careful!
Feb 23 2011 7:01PM
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Doug.
Posts: 2236 - Karma: 457
I wouldnt do this. Companies want to hire ppl will recent degrees, so they would choose someone who just got out, before you who took a year or two off.

If you want to take any time off I would do it right after high school. But personally I dont think I would end up going back to uni.
Feb 23 2011 7:03PM
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hollygrove
Posts: 7845 - Karma: 93
Jobs arn't all about what piece of paper you have in your hands..
Feb 23 2011 7:13PM
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-ROY-
Posts: 3633 - Karma: 1,503
i took 2 years of finance. gave that up. now have been off for a while. And I feel i have way more motivation to buckle down and fuck some shit up in a new program. Not true in all cases id say. Im stoked as fuck to go back to school
Feb 23 2011 7:21PM
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Doug.
Posts: 2236 - Karma: 457
Thats completely true, but lets say he decided to get an engineering job. It would be a whole lot easier to get one straight out of uni. And jobs like that are a lot about what piece of paper you have in your hands.

Jobs arent easy to get right now and its worth your while to do everything you can to help with getting one.
Feb 23 2011 11:48PM
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fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
you've got a very optimistic outlook and i applaud you for it...but these days, it really is becoming more and more about what you have over the others in terms of education, etc. Job interviews are no longer just a sit down session to see who's a decent guy. To even get some interviews now, you need to have a particularly nice piece of paper in your hands.
Feb 24 2011 12:12AM
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seemeski
Posts: 4210 - Karma: 124
Taking a year off was the best decision I ever made. I've found the industry I love and I don't need a degree to work my way up.
Feb 24 2011 12:16AM
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big_mac_005
Posts: 78 - Karma: 12
do it after college that's what i'm doing. college is legit and its more fun than high school. take ur year off after college before life really starts
Feb 24 2011 12:16AM
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meth_time
Posts: 2783 - Karma: 21
care to evaluate a bit?
Feb 24 2011 12:20AM
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seemeski
Posts: 4210 - Karma: 124
You can always go to college. You won't ever be 18 or 19 again.
Feb 24 2011 12:22AM
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seemeski
Posts: 4210 - Karma: 124
I work on yachts. As long I stay in the industry I move up the ladder. Obviously I'll have to get more training, licenses, tickets etc. but going to university is not necessary.
Feb 24 2011 12:32AM
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meth_time
Posts: 2783 - Karma: 21
what exactly is it that you do with the yachts?
Feb 24 2011 12:39AM
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Deezy
Posts: 4580 - Karma: 1,004
today they told me to put my courses in for grd 12...
maths, sciences, businesses, english
fuck this sounds so lame.

thanks for all ur input guys. ill see how the rest of grd 11 and 12 go but im over thinking everything right now. its just all the talk and hype. all my friends know what they wanna do and where they wanna go... and im all lost.

im pobs gunna find myself in a university the year after high school tho. apply for engineering/business or whatever and go from there. that sounds like the best option for me at least.

there are a lot of things that i love doing, but realistically i should go in the direction of a safe, secure career to support myself in the future (something i like of course). Then i can be a photographer, make movies, go skiing, travel, etc. all that would be supported by a nice job, not having to stress about making the movies and taking the photos to pay my bills. good idea?
Feb 24 2011 12:42AM
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scratchproteen
Posts: 5173 - Karma: 286
If you aren't set on college right at the moment, don't bother going it just leads to you not wanting to go to class and hating it...seriously don't go if you aren't ready because it is a waste of money, and besides you can always go to college, it's there when ever you are ready.

The whole "Im going to make bank with this college degree" idea is ridiculous, I have so many buddies that are absolutely struggling right now on their second year out of college with 4 years and cant find jobs, and majority are in computer science which is a "high" job demand area, only problem is they are finding out the majority of employers are wanting job experience not a kid whose only knowledge of the subject is from a book.
Feb 24 2011 2:58AM
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laura.jayne
Posts: 25 - Karma: 20
definatly take a year off! but do something useful dont just bum around at home
Feb 24 2011 3:35AM
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smooticus
Posts: 1798 - Karma: 27
You know I was in your same situation last year. I decided to go to college. When I applied I had no idea where i wanted to start so i just chose chemical engineering. A bold fucking move, i know now. College is different. It is REALLY hard for some people, and real fucking easy for others. For me, being an engineer and science major, its really hard. I study crazy amounts, and I never studied before. I still dont know what exactly I want to do, right now my track is pointing me to engineering, which is an awesome degree no matter what division. But honestly I still wonder if I really would like to get into business, or even photo journalism which I think would be cool.
My mom encouraged me to go to college, even though I was skeptical, and to be honest im glad she did. I feel like when your just out of highschool you kinda have momentum as you come into college. And think about it, what are you gonna do in a year off, or semester off. If you have the money you could travel, but lets be real, no one can afford to do that. I know that if i had, realistically, I would have ended up skiing all the time and working at the mountain, and idk if I would have had the motivation to apply to a university after, prolly would have done CC. My grandma told me to just do something, anything, and that eventually if I tried hard enough that I will end up in a place that I want to be.
The fact is, takin a year off is not going to help you find yourself, or what you want to do. Being in a college environment where you are challenged intellectually everyday and are around other ambitious people is what is going to inspire you.
Now for real I should get back to studying for this exam that is in WOW 8 hours. Im fucked. out
Feb 24 2011 3:39AM
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timmi
Posts: 12874 - Karma: 3,460
why don't you do what all the other people who don't know what they want to do, do and take photography?
Feb 24 2011 3:44AM
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Most-D
Posts: 729 - Karma: 1,088
TAKE A YEAR OUT.


Feb 24 2011 6:14AM
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