We go through 12 years of school, possibly more depending on your pre-school experience. When we graduate high school, we are expected to go straight to college, but a study from 2015 reports that twenty two percent of high school graduates are taking a gap year after they graduate. It is no wonder they want to go travel the world, get their lives together and take some time to find themselves.

Some do volunteer programs, or intern in fields of interest, while some travel or study in their own way on their own time and at your own pace.

Despite beliefs that gap years become counterproductive, and comprised of parties and Netflix binging, there are young adults making their gap year productive.

Most of the time, “gappers” come back into the classroom with renewed vigor and motivation. It is rare that they don’t return to continue with their education. It is a common myth that taking a gap year results in a long-term derailment.

30,000-40,000 high school graduates take a gap year every year. 90% of students who took a gap year end up continuing their education and go to college. 88% of those gap year students say that the break added to their employability by interning and doing volunteer programs that relate to their field of interest, according to a 2015 study done about how taking a gap year affected students.

We are often told that taking a gap year will ruin us. Sometimes after high school, we are just burnt out. We need some time for soul searching and focusing on our future in a way that doesn’t involve a huge school work course load. It is good to get out of the classroom and go into the real world and dip your toes into the reality of your field that you want to be in. It is a good way to discover your field of interest.

College is so pressed here at Aspen High School, most people have their heart sets on one college. When you don’t get accepted you’re crushed, taking a gap year is a good way to work on getting into your dream college.