TOPIC 2: SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT SOME STUDENTS SPEND A GAP YEAR DOING VOLUNTARY WORK OR PURSUING THEIR OWN INTERESTS BEFORE STARTING UNIVERSITY LIFE. DO U AGREE OR DISAGREE?

A number of people advocate pupils’ taking a

gap

year

either to partake in community service or to pursue their own interests prior to university life. From my perspective, I voice disapproval of the aforementioned, in that I believe there exist many potential risks and drawbacks which need giving serious consideration. In the

first

place, it is students’ unaffordability

that is

of great concern.

In particular

, not everyone is financially sufficient to eke out a living during their time devoted to voluntary work, since the cost of travelling as well as that of living would be extortionate for those being only young adults.

For instance

, according to research on World Travel Family Blog, a

gap

year

’s average expenditure could amount to 40,000 $ per head, depending on different factors and destinations.

This

could be a burden to some who are not flexible or have not been able to make a living on their own. What is more, there appear to be cases in which adolescents would find themselves going on the wrong track.

In other words

, some may believe that their break is so engaging and exciting that they might end up not wishing to go back into formal education. Or, they simply could not get the experience they intended,

in addition

to feeling disoriented and unproductive.

For example

, several pupils do not incorporate enough constructive activities into their

year

off, but rather regard

this

as a self-indulging opportunity,

thus

not being favourably looked upon by some tertiary institutions.

Nevertheless

, to a certain extent, a

year

off would do wonders for the students themselves to help advance their social skills. As young people are challenged to step out of their comfort zone, they may develop useful problem-solving skills together with a new sphere of contact.

However

, we cannot rule out the possibility that the young could get into trouble, or pursue irrelevant hobbies which do not serve any purpose in their future career. To cite an example, should a medical student express his interest in photography and spend his entire

gap

year

doing so, academically speaking, he will end up reaping no benefits for his study. All things considered, while taking a

year

off might be an upward trend among youngsters, it is worth considering that there are many risks involved.

Therefore

, I am not supportive of the idea, advising against spending a

gap

year

when not being well-equipped enough.