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Year off between high school and college...

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*simba*
Posts: 9125 - Karma: 512
I'm coming to the older members of NSG to give me a a hand here. I'm in my senior year of high school, and for the past few months, I've been thinking of taking a year for myself before I go to college. I've made plans already to begin a full time job at the local zoo, and have gotten in contact with the right people to volunteer with animals injured by oil spills across the country, so it's not like I'm just taking this year off to fuck around and do nothing. My question is, if you have done this, did it give you an advantage when going to college? Did you just not go to college after that year? Was anything more difficult because of this year off?
Jan 4 2012 5:29PM
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*simba*
Posts: 9125 - Karma: 512
EVERYONE WHO POSTED IN THIS THREAD...THANK YOU!

I really appreciate everything...I believe that I have made my decision.
Jan 5 2012 10:41PM
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EastCoast315
Posts: 3136 - Karma: 137
treal as fuck, i kno
Jan 6 2012 11:44AM
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PopsicleStand
Posts: 6890 - Karma: 147
and that is...
Jan 6 2012 4:17PM
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Milksteak
Posts: 9948 - Karma: 833
I'm definitely glad I did it. It's nice to just work, ski and party all of the time. I'm going back to school this semester at CC just for shits and gigs.

You're going to feel like a bit of a loser at some point...for instance when you have a day off and there's no skiing, partying and all of your friends are busy but it's whatever- At least I did.

Don't let anyone tell you it's a bad idea, and you wont accomplish anything with your life if you do. Because they're fucking dumb.

Jan 6 2012 4:37PM
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Bill.Nye
Posts: 4060 - Karma: 2,109
I went to community college after high school. Then I decided to apply for a job at Mammoth Mtn one fall. I got the job, walked out of my class a week before I even took the final, drove here with $300 in my pocket, spent all of that on the deposit for my place in employee housing, worked my ass off as a lifty, ended up remaking the training material for lift operations, got kicked out of employee housing, got a house with some friends, decided to stay for the summer, got kicked out of that house, sued my ex landlord for the deposit, won some of it back, moved back into employee housing, moved back home for 2 months, realized that life outside of the mountains sucks, moved back, got a job as an RA for employee housing so I didn't have to pay rent, got a job as a ski instructor, skied powder in May, got fired as an RA, got a new GF who moved here with me, got a place together, worked on the MTB trail crew, installed RFID gates, made snow, worked as an instructor more, had a private lesson with the CEO's friends, got $1,000 tip, then made more snow, and....

....wait what was the question?

Take a year off at your own risk, you might just have too much fun and never go back.
Jan 6 2012 4:50PM
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howlongcanausern
Posts: 4982 - Karma: 1,737
this is way off topic but what exactly did you do for this?
Jan 6 2012 4:55PM
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Bill.Nye
Posts: 4060 - Karma: 2,109
I was on a crew with 2 other people that installed the telescoping mounts for the Axcess RFID gantries that Mammoth installed this summer. Since we get so much snow (most years.....) the gates had to be able to move up and down 8' and rotate 270 degrees to let the cats get into the ramps. They were designed in house and I got hired to help install them.

They look like this

Click for larger image


Jan 6 2012 5:03PM
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howlongcanausern
Posts: 4982 - Karma: 1,737
oh kewl, yeah we have skidata gates up at stevens. they are mounted to a very similar system so they can pivot/raise up and down. i'm the systems administrator here and there's an idea kicking around to put these on all lifts (right now they're just at the base lifts). i've only done light maintenance on em' like change antenna boards/fuses but i'm pumped for a chance to install them new.

anyway, cool beans those gates are rad.
Jan 6 2012 5:10PM
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Bill.Nye
Posts: 4060 - Karma: 2,109
Yeah they work pretty well until some dumb gaper comes through the line and pulls "lolz my pass is in my jacket in my locker." I guess they've had some problems on the software side but the hardware has been working awesome. We only have them on base lifts right now but next year we might add more.
Jan 6 2012 5:14PM
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jibjunkie
Posts: 3807 - Karma: 191
id recomend against it. my current roomate started a semester late after working for half a year and he didnt do so hot last year or this year. you just lose momentum. i would say take a semester off and do the zoo shiz but also take classes at community college that way you will stay busy and wont struggle once you get to school.
Jan 6 2012 5:22PM
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*simba*
Posts: 9125 - Karma: 512
No college next year, wooooohoooo!
Jan 17 2012 10:28AM
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gustafari
Posts: 726 - Karma: 50
isn't the idea to only have them at the base? it's unnecessary to check tickets on the rest of the mountain if you have the base lifts covered
Jan 17 2012 10:59AM
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Billiards.
Posts: 6853 - Karma: 816
I didn't read the rest of the thread because I dont have time right now, but I will tell you that I am your guy for this. I took a gap year last year and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made more many reasons.

First things first, if you are like me, your gap year will only help you academically. I was also very motivated with skiing, never with school. After falling behind for a year though, I was so excited to get back to school that I ended up on the deans list after my first semester at college. So as long as you begin to miss learning, which I suspect you will, it will be easy to get back into it.

As far as what to do with your time off, thats up to you. I worked for a while, then sat around and skied for a few months and then finally went and traveled in SE Asia for 2 months. I think as long as you are doing something, but giving yourself enough time to become bored, you wont go wrong. I say you should allow yourself time to idle, because it will help you think about things you never thought about. I know this sounds cheesy, but it allows you to learn about yourself and really discover what to do.

Finally, as I mentioned above, I did some overseas travel. I would HIGHLY recommend this. Its amazingly fun and is the best way to learn about the real world. I know you didn't mention that as a part of your plan, but its a good thing to consider.

Anyway, I just woke up and can hardly think so I hope that was both readable and helpful. What it really comes down to though is definitely take a year off! It'll be worth it!
Jan 17 2012 11:00AM
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comeatmebro
Posts: 10720 - Karma: 66
i'm sure it's been covered by now, so i'll just say i wish i would've done it...
Jan 17 2012 11:03AM
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Smuffy
Posts: 4686 - Karma: 3,408
Currently taking a gap year as an exchange student in Germany, and it's awesome. It feels nice to just be without stress for a while, and just appreciate life... man. But seriously, I would definitely recommend it (seems like you already chose,) but make sure you have a plan when you get back. At this point i'm just echoeing, but all i'm really trying to say is that i'm currently having the time of my life and more people should take the opportunity.
Jan 17 2012 11:11AM
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caliskigirl
Posts: 393 - Karma: 67
I have seen this work both well and not so well. I think some people do benefit from a year off or so-go ski for a season, go travel, etc. They go out, enjoy life, find themselves, etc, then are refreshed and ready for college. However I've also known people who just keep saying that they will go back and never do, which is fine for those who are perfectly happy with what they are doing, but the ones (like an ex of mine used to) who complain about their life, how unhappy they are with where they are in life, and talk about wanting to go to school, and yet do not try to take positive steps to change it are rather frustrating. I also think that, from what my vet friends say, that it is very hard to adjust back into a school environment at first after being out working for 1+ years. So I guess it can be good if you think that you will gain some valuable life experience from taking time off and can actually stick with going back to school when ready.
Jan 17 2012 1:41PM
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Will.T
Posts: 3453 - Karma: 1,281
same things here !!
Feb 16 2012 8:03PM
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Mr.Misty
Posts: 105 - Karma: 54
I was going to take a year off, but i didn't and now i regret it. If you kinda struggled in hs like me, i would definitely recommend it. It would be a good way to clear your head and take a break. Just work or travel. a couple of my friends took a gap year and said it was really good for them.
Feb 16 2012 8:49PM
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eldridge
Posts: 2272 - Karma: 47
i think i would have benefited greatly from doing so and sorta wished i would have but oh well
Feb 16 2012 9:11PM
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icon1234
Posts: 3081 - Karma: 1,475
I would just go straight to college. I mean college is actually fun and living on your own in itself is kind of like taking a year off anyways.

If you got plans to do xx trips and see xx then I guess take a year off. Because honestly I don't know when I am ever going to be able to do that. But doing that takes quite a bit of money, and college costs even more money so it brings to question is it really worth it...

So If you're just gonna take a gap year and work some crappy job I don't think it is worth it, and your time would be better spent in school. But if you got plans to do actually productive shit for your life and experience things that you won't be able to later then go for it.
Feb 16 2012 9:18PM
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[tk]
Posts: 3863 - Karma: 1,906
I heard this is the norm in Europe. kinda sucks how people immediately judge when they hear you're not going to college right after high school.
Feb 16 2012 9:34PM
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ryan.c
Posts: 6592 - Karma: 14
after 1 year of college I decided I wanted to take some time off. either go to camp at windells and spend $2000 to ski for a week, or ski for 5 months in New Zealand for basically the same price (minus plane tickets for either trip, and then my pass for NZ). NZ was lots of fun, after my summer/semester break, I went back for the spring then fall semester to finish my 2 years. took another semester off and moved to CO, then started my other 2 years. more than half the kids I graduated HS with won't finish college before me even though it'll take me a year longer than expected with the breaks. so yeah, it was awesome I got to take some time off, have fun, and now I'm back in school.


on the other hand, my brother moved to Utah and has worked at Alta F/T for the past 2 seasons. pretty much has a job at the shop until he wants to stop, in the summer he's back in NY kayaking/river guiding. that sounds much more fun than going to school...
Feb 16 2012 9:39PM
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Smuffy
Posts: 4686 - Karma: 3,408
dude everyone and their mom in europe has travelled or studied abroad it seems like. i was just visiting some friends in switzerland and like every third person i met was like "oh, i did an exchange year in X country"
Feb 23 2012 1:24PM
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Nurgle
Posts: 1249 - Karma: 15
I'd much rather be in college than working. At college you get to be irresponsible as you want. As long as you get your work done, thats all that matters.
Feb 23 2012 1:34PM
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Sno.
Posts: 12155 - Karma: 6,152
do this until you can't do it anymore.
Feb 23 2012 1:38PM
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jamodeo
Posts: 3040 - Karma: 663
doing this right now did a semester at a local college now i'm just working and traveling around the east to different mountains, as of now I've been having the time of my life i'll be going to oregon for the summer, camping and skiing, with what I've made this semester then moving to CO to go to school next fall or spring if you have an idea of what you want to do and a basic time frame for when you're planning on doing it go for it just make sure to get back into the school game in the end
Feb 23 2012 1:54PM
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orangecrush23
Posts: 279 - Karma: 65
Dont do it. You will have to take classes that are high school level  most likley because you forgot a bunch of stuff you learned in high school.
Feb 23 2012 4:58PM
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FUUUCK
Posts: 18426 - Karma: 4,888
I'm in College now after taking 2 years off to work.

Definitely do it.

You get a lot more life experience going out into the "real world" and fending for yourself, paying your own rent, saving money and working and meeting different kinds of people.

It will give you some idea for what you want to pursue after college/university and will definitely help develop your maturity and overall confidence.

Everyone I know who has taking a year or two off hasn't regretted it at all.

And that zoo job sounds sick.
Feb 23 2012 5:15PM
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SteezyasPie
Posts: 1160 - Karma: 15
I've seen it work out really well, and really poorly. I have one friend who spent nearly a year in Fiji(I think?) working at a school for deaf children, and she hopped right back into school with a 4.0. On the other hand, a guy I graduated high school with planned to work to save money then go to college, and never ended up going back (so far).

Honestly, if you feel like you can do it and it's something you want to do, do it. I really wish I had, I was in a similar situation, came to school, and ever since all I can think about is "What if I took that year off to volunteer/work?". It's a decision I regret quite a bit. Just make sure you stay focused on your goals, and don't get sidetracked too much.
Feb 23 2012 7:38PM
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