Personal Narrative: Life After High School

Did you know what you wanted to do after high school? Perhaps you did, but do you think that decision was the best one for you when looking back? Graduating high school is a big deal, but what comes after is even more important. What you decide to do can influence your life in many ways. I have thought about what I want to do for a long time, and I feel like I have gone with the idea that is best suited for me. After high school, I want to take a gap year from school so that I can focus on and learn some other things, while also figuring out what I want to pursue in college and in life. To further explain, a gap year is an “experiential semester or year ‘on’ typically taken between high school and college…” (Gap Year Association 2018) However,

I have always thought that new experiences bring on new lessons. With each different encounter, you will possibly learn something you didn’t know before. Dean Fitzsimmons of Harvard University once stated, “the more life experience you bring, the better off you are in school”. (2010) I know that I will have a whole year to spend furthering my knowledge, which in term, means that I will gain skills and information that I will most likely find useful in college. It’s reasoned that instead of using the year wisely, you might end up staying at home and doing nothing useful. It’s very easy to slack off and lose track of time. Before you know it, the year’s over and you’ve done nothing that benefited you. I feel like this is a good point to make, and that it depends on you as a person. You must make sure you are doing something helpful. In short, taking a gap year gives you more time to learn different skills that’ll be valuable to you at a later

It is common for a recent high school graduate to not know what they want to study in college. You will have a whole year to consider your options so you don’t change your mind or regret your choice later. According to the Year Out Group, 60 percent of students said a gap year helped them to decide what subject to study at university (2018). I know that for myself, I am not too sure on what I want to pursue in college. Therefore, having that amount of time to ponder my choices will be valuable in the end. In saying that, some people believe that starting college right out of high school is the best option, because you’ll get through it faster than you would if you were to take a year off. I would have to oppose this standpoint, because if you are worn out from the 13 years of school beforehand, you could end up procrastinating in college which will set you back. Also, college is expensive and there’s no point in studying a subject you’re not interested in, since you had to decide on something quickly. Ultimately, having the extra time to decide on what you want to practice is