In some countries young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university studies. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this .

Nowadays, some privileged students in developed countries prefer to take a
gap
year
for travel or work before getting involved in their formal university education. In
this
essay, I will elaborate on the merits and demerits of the
gap
-
year
plan. On one hand, taking
this
one-
year
pause is undeniably bringing many advantages to an individual’s
life
when it comes to a personal career choice in the long term.
Firstly
, being an averagely 18 -
year
- old teenager can hardly truly know what exactly the major he or she might want to pursue. In
this
case, high school graduates need to try on various jobs in order to find out the most suitable one for them to learn as their profession in the university.
Furthermore
, rich
life
experience can
also
make you fully prepared for university education. We have to admit that the
gap
year
has the potential to teach students more valuable
life
lessons which can never be acquired in school.
This
can be illustrated if you decide to spend your time travelling around, where you will undoubtedly gain abilities to live and work independently. These precious attempts are great blessings for your upcoming college
life
.
On the other hand
, the one-
year
gap
program is not for everyone due to its possible negative impacts.
First
and foremost, it won't be a wise decision for students who are weak at self-discipline, because it largely wastes valuable time. The initial purpose of taking a sabbatical is for earning experience or money in
life
, but without a determined heart and a strong purposeful sense. Eventually, it will be risky to lose academic momentum.
Moreover
,
although
travelling around for a long period of time can infuse us with some unforgettable experiences, based on the duration of the trip, it can be very pricy. Even worse, if you fail to make the budget planning properly,
this
can possibly trap you in a financial dilemma. In conclusion, taking a
gap
year
before college entry bears pros and cons. Whether to take a
gap
year
or not largely depends on your personal situation.
Thus
we should rethink seriously for our future.
Submitted by Esther on

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Topic Vocabulary:
  • Cultural immersion
  • Life experience
  • Work ethic
  • Career readiness
  • Self-discovery
  • Delayed gratification
  • Intellectual stagnation
  • Financial implications
  • Social dynamics
  • Academic trajectory
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