Being Young While You Still Can

[Bombadillo]

Recently I've been thinking seriously about taking at least a year off before I go on to college. That's for a number of reasons. For one, my dad, all my uncles, my grandpa, and many of my friends' dads have said that their biggest regret was not doing so themselves before diving into a career and a life which afterwards they can never escape from again. For another, they had also all told me that high school would be the funnest four years of my life, and so far that does not hold true to me. I'm sure what they meant was that I could look back on it decades from now and laugh, but I have done nothing memorable. To compensate, I think maybe a road trip with best friends, or at least the very least, a year away from home, is in order. That classic idea behind every other movie ever made has always appealed to me. I'm not an adventurous guy, but I want to do something that'll earn me a story to tell. I've always had that feeling every time I listened to a story being told, and I suspect it's at its peak now since I've otherwize been a bit out of it. Another reason is that I don't want to rush into college anyway. (There really is no reason to now that I've thought about it.) For years, I've been narrowing my career path down between law and psychology, and now I prefer psychology, but it's been a while since I evaluated how well that would suit me and I'm suddenly considering a life in film (behind camera). I would like some time to become a bit more positive, a bit more mature.

Most mooters are older than me, so do you guys know what I'm talking about? In retrospect, do you think you should have taken a break, or did you perhaps? Any other teenagers getting a similar feeling? The feeling seems to strike males much more deeply, or at least they're more open about it. Why might that be? And lets not forget: how do parents feel about their kids speaking so strangely?

Who thinks it's worthwhile?

[Nurvingiel]

I think it's a great idea to take a year off, if you want to. I took a year off between high school and university (a "gap year"), and I'm very glad I did. My brother went straight on to university. You have to do what's right for you.

As for high school being the funnest years of your life, I don't think this is true. While high school is fun, your life does not start going down hill after you graduate. If it does, maybe it's time to be doing something else. I think university is the best time of your life, but that's just because I'm doing it right now. Aspects of your life are sometimes better than others, but I think it's a question of being different from each other, not better.

[Bombadillo]

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

Aspects of your life are sometimes better than others, but I think it's a question of being different from each other, not better.

That's the most eloquent way of saying what I'm feeling. I want my car to break down somewhere in Utah, and years from now that will be just as good as my scoring above average on the SATs, even though the situations are incomparable. That's the good kind of time that I want to have.

Jeez, thanks Nurv!

None of my uncles or influences or whatever have ever actually taken that year off.

[EarthBound]

AS long as the year is not spent in front of a computer (ACHHH! ) or the TV or on a couch but you actually DO SOMETHING...take some sort of adventure...start a new hobby...rebuild/customize a car....oil paint...competitive booger flicking...or some other equally worth-while exercise....ahem

I agree with Nurv about College....best years of my life in many ways....the people, culture, science, music, adventures, ect.....the trick is to keep living life with that same enthusiasm....so many of us become drones after college...sad.

[trolls' bane]

I just wore my first square hat (which is a big deal for me, being a hat collector), when I graduated from Junior High, and I am and have already been planning to take a year off (I thought that's what most people did, anyway) before college. But, of course a good 3 months of time would be spent on Entmoot . (EB, it's not an entire year )

[Tessar]

I guess I'm not really one to comment since I'm starting college at 16, but I think you've got a great idea there .

[Insidious Rex]

Absolutely do that. Although you may want to think about starting college and maybe taking a semester or year off after a couple years and you have your you know what together so you arent worried about what it is you have to do when you get back to the "real" world. Plus maybe you can work a semester abroad for credit or something. Kill two birds with one stone.

When I graduated from college (and by the way who are the loonies that told you high school is the best years of your life? Its clearly college. Yer independent for the first time and almost an adult but still enough of a kid to get away with doing all sorts of stupid crap and having fun with it. And everything is new. Yer not jaded yet. You live in a community with your peers and establish some of the strongest kinship relationships youll ever have. College is the best four (five... five and a half...) years you will ever have. THEN life ends. Cause then you enter the real world get married get a mortgage etc. etc. and the good times are through and the baton goes to the next generation)... Um where was I... When I graduated from college I took about a half year to go to abroad (in my case Scotland way out in the sticks) and it was a fantastic opportunity. I wanted to do more but I never did and now I regret it. Guess Ill need to wait for "retirement"...

So my advice is grab a back pack and just enough stuff that it doesnt weigh you down and find a way over to europe or asia or south america and just wander. And then when yer in some cyber cafe in mongolia somewhere send us a message so we can all be jealous. the learning experience youll gain from doing something like that will match any college education anytime.

[Spock]

...to quote the sorting hat, "difficult choice". If you can maintain your study habits, etc. then a year off won't hurt. The thing is it's another year of "faster rats" coming along.

Personally, I went into the business world after H.S. and took up college later in life. It was difficult to get back into the mode and work too; just an afterthought.

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Insidious Rex

(and by the way who are the loonies that told you high school is the best years of your life? Its clearly college. [...]College is the best four (five... five and a half...) years you will ever have. THEN life ends. Cause then you enter the real world get married get a mortgage etc. etc. and the good times are through and the baton goes to the next generation)...

In Belgium they say: 'the time as a student, is the best time of your life.' Leaving it for you to decide whether it's college or high school. But I agree with you. I didn't like high school too much, the last two year I was almost dying to get out. College, now that was where I'll be keeping the best memories of! But I suppose it depends on person... and on school.

I went straight from high school to college, then yet some more college and finally still some more. But mainly because I knew that if I stopped in between, I would never get going again. Besides, I'm not a very doing person. I wouldn't have gone traveling or exploring if I had taken a year of, so I simply didn't. I know of others who did and made far journeys and came back with great tales and stories of how much fun they had and how much they learned and grew. It works for others, but not for all. It wouldn't have worked for me.

[trolls' bane]

Torta! Torta! *dances around*
Eat a torta while you still can! I had my second torta todya, and I forgot how good they are! I should create a Torta thread on every message board I go to!

[IronParrot]

One of my most capable and intelligent friends, my age and my year in high school, took a year off before going to university at the same place I dived into right away.

In that time she worked three menial jobs (occasionally on the same day), took piano lessons, dated boys she couldn't stand, and came out of it feeling like it was an unequivocal waste of her time. She still complains that she threw away a year of her life.

BUT - and this is a huge but - she also wouldn't have changed a thing. Because, she said, she learned a whole lot about life and a whole lot about herself. She figured out what works for her, what isn't so hot, and what drives her forward. And all these circumstances led her to greater things - her fiancé, for one...

So is taking a year off a good decision? Well, it's hard to say. It all depends on what you are personally willing to make of it.

From another perspective - I didn't take a year off, and I don't regret not taking a year off, if you'll excuse the multiple negation. But that's because there's a lot I want to do in terms of my education, and I'd like to live long enough to do most of it. (And I effectively wasted two years anyhow, because I changed programmes.)

[Rían]

interesting question - it seems like a great idea (as long as you don't waste the year) if that's what appeals to you. Can you apply to a uni and get accepted and put it off a year? What I would worry about, practically-speaking, is if it would put you at the bottom of the barrel as far as a potential incoming student. Sounds like good advice to work in some type of service/learning experience.

I was like Earniel - I went straight to college and never regretted it. I loved my college years, and learned a lot. I don't think taking a year off would have been right for me, but I can see how it would be for many.

BTW, I don't think it's all downhill after college For me, life got better and ... I don't know - deeper, stronger, more joyful and rich. But that's because I have an in with my Maker ... (available to all! )

However, it IS irritating to have your body slow down a bit - it takes longer to get up off the floor than it did 20 years ago! But I wouldn't trade younger knees for the richness I've gained over the years.

Let us know what you decide!

[brownjenkins]

take off five years... and waste 'em if you like

i think many get a little too obsessed with the school ---> employment ---> advancement thing

enjoy life and all it's phases... i've know people who didn't really settle down and do the college thing 'till their late 20s... and some of them even ended up going to medical and law school and have highly successful careers... others never quite settled down but they are happy people, doing enough to get by, and more importantly, what they enjoy... a friend of mine owns a dinner theatre for instance, that is always on the edge as far as profitability goes, but he's one of the happiest people i know

personally, i graduated HS with very good grades... started college but just wasn't interested... i got a job and spent most of my years from 18-28 playing music in bands... not with any intention of "making it", just because i loved it... i travelled a lot, had many good times and don't regret a second of it... and i kept at the work side of things along the way well enough so that getting a degree was unnecessary to land a good job (computer-related work is like that if you are a good self-learner)... but even if i wanted to go to a more degree-oriented profession, i could start that at any time... all it takes is the desire

so do what makes you feel the best and don't worry about other things like income and such... the happiest people i know in my life tend to be the ones who get to do what they enjoy... not the ones that rack in six figures

[Rían]

Originally Posted by brownjenkins

i think many get a little too obsessed with the school ---> employment ---> advancement thing

I think you're quite right, and I reread my post and it came off like that more than I meant it to. What I was talking about mainly is keeping your OPTIONS open for college. If you don't feel like going to college later, then fine but if you do, then you'll still have that option.

[brownjenkins]

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

I think you're quite right, and I reread my post and it came off like that more than I meant it to. What I was talking about mainly is keeping your OPTIONS open for college. If you don't feel like going to college later, then fine but if you do, then you'll still have that option.

i agree... there are many ways to go about it, that's the important thing to remember... nothing wrong with hitting college hard and getting right into a great career too, as long as it is what you want to do, and not something you feel like you must do... or else

which is the way that some parents unfortunately paint it, though often because it really was more of a fact of the working world in their day than it is now... these days (with some major exceptions) employers tend to look at your skill and ability to learn above degrees... though degrees never hurt and can help

[Bombadillo]

Originally Posted by Insidious Rex

(and by the way who are the loonies that told you high school is the best years of your life? Its clearly college. Yer independent for the first time and almost an adult but still enough of a kid to get away with doing all sorts of stupid crap and having fun with it. And everything is new. Yer not jaded yet. You live in a community with your peers and establish some of the strongest kinship relationships youll ever have. College is the best four (five... five and a half...) years you will ever have. THEN life ends.

Hahaha! Oh yeah, my dad and uncles never attended college except one of them, who was married at the time. So was my Grandpa when he was in college. I bet that kills the fun a bit huh?

Anyway, I told my friends, one of whom had mentioned a similar idea years ago, but none of them seems as serious or enthusiastic as me. And now, I'm still looking at colleges and my mom's been helping me with early admissions to a couple, and I keep hesitating to tell her I'd rather wait myself. Still, I think I'm gonna have to. If they don't join me, I'm thinking now that I'll visit Austria again, and hopefully stay there long enough to learn so basic German. Maybe I'll go with someone. These ideas are bound to change as the time approaches I'm sure. Plus, funds for this kind of stuff is hard to get.

Does anyone know of a person who's tried this and then decided not ever to go to college? That possibility makes me hesitant.

[Lotesse]

Bombadillo - funds are hard to get, no doubt, but I say, GO! Go hopping around Europe, while you can, while you're young and full of the passion and exuberance of late-teens/early twenties, before you start getting bills and car payments and housing issues and girl (or boy)friends, or any of these kind of things, because I say from experience, now is the BEST and perfect to travel and find out about the rest of the planet and all its beauty. Put it off too long, and it becomes harder and harder to go, plus the older one gets, the more their natural human passion ebbs - or as Ally Sheedy says in "The Breakfast Club", 'your heart dies'. Maybe that's a little dramatic, but you get the idea.

[The Gaffer]

The paradox of modern life: when you've got the freedom, you don't have the money to enjoy it; by the time you've got the money, you've lost the freedom to enjoy it.

I agree with Lotesse. There are plenty of opportunities to work along the way. Often that's the best way to get to know a place too.

[Rána Eressëa]

I wanted to take a year off before I went to college, but my parents wouldn't let me. So now I sadly feel like I might miss out on something. A year of break would've been nice after so many years of school.

Alas, I do not have such agreeing parents. They believed that if I took a year off I never would have got the scholarships and grants that I did. No amount of talking or arguing could convince them otherwise. Also, they didn't do so well with their own schooling, so they're pushing me to get all that I can right away whether I like it or not. A break for me would've been laughable, really. :-/

[Lotesse]

If I were you, I'd plunge through my 4 years now, get it over with, and then, rather than go straight into the professional world or grad school, go traveling and partying or whatever - armed with your degree. By the time you earned it, you'd still be way young anyway, like 21 or 22 right? I mean if it were ME in what your scenario sounds like, that's what I would do. If I had any discipline, that is.