Taking a Gap Year in the Middle of College

Over the last three or four weeks I have been thinking more and more about potentially leaving school next year for a break, then coming back to finish my studies. There are a number of reasons I have been thinking about this. Lately I have been feeling stuck in a rut that I can't get out of. I have not been feeling very engaged in my classes, so it has been incredibly hard for me to motivate to do my assignments to the best of my ability. It is frustrating to be in this place right now because I do not know what exactly is causing me to feel this way or how I can get it to stop. So, I started thinking that perhaps the best thing for me to do would be for me to withdraw from school for a year, pursue other interests, and come back to do the final two years of undergrad feeling more engaged and focused.

I started making a list of pros and cons. I took a gap year after high school two years ago, so I have some experience with the benefits and drawbacks of such an experience. For me, I am convinced that my time away from school contributed significantly to the success I have enjoyed here at Saint Mikes thus far. One big advantage of taking a year off next year is that I would have the chance to travel again. During my gap year in 2015/2016, I traveled around Turkey, Mexico, Costa Rica, and the Western United States. Sometimes when I am here in school I get into the mindset that I am wasting time and I am not growing or pushing myself as much as I could be. I would think "If I were not in school right now I could be skiing out west, or teaching Spanish in South America, or backpacking and surfing in Southeast Asia." This is not a good mindset to have, especially when I am surrounded by so many opportunities for personal growth here at Saint Mikes. Another advantage could be that I might be able to take more advantage of my classes and my options here after taking another year off to explore and reflect. I have an incredible opportunity to pursue a higher education and I do not want to waste it by not being completely committed to being here.

Here is a video I made from my gap year in 2016.

I also wrote down a bunch of the disadvantages of taking a gap year. An obvious one is that if I took a year off then I would not be able to graduate with all of my friends who are currently in my year, and then I would still be in school for another year after they had graduates. Also, I am already old for a sophomore (I turn 21 in June) and if I took another year off then I would be taking classes with students two or more years younger than myself when I returned. I also have a lot of things going for me here currently that are hard to leave behind, such as my job, the kids that I mentor, and the adventure sports program. Finally, if I were to take another year off, it is very possible that I might not want to return to school. I have talked to a few different people, both in persona and on online forums, who only planned on taking one year off in the middle of college but ended up never going back. Some were happy with their lives now and said they would make the same decision again in a heartbeat, but others were kicking themselves for not just buckling down and finishing school before going off into the world.

Well, I am still considering what would be best for me, but I am currently thinking that it makes the most sense for me to return to Saint Mikes next year and the year after and finish my degree in the typical four years. I think that the biggest problem I am facing right now is my own mentality and I am not sure taking a year off would change that. I have a lot of ideas of other ways I can involve myself in school and in the community for next semester. I just need to find the passion and motivation to implement them. If I can stay here and focus on improving myself, that is the optimal solution.