Some school leavers choose to travel or work for a year before going to university. What might be the reasons for this? What are the disadvantages of this practice?

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In some countries, it is common for students to take a
year
off after completing secondary school, usually to work or travel, before commencing their studies at
university
.
This
essay will explore the main reasons for taking a gap
year
,
as well as
the potential drawbacks of
this
practice. The reasons for taking a
year
off are multiple. Some take a gap
year
to go travelling, exploring other countries, learning new languages, or volunteering for good causes. Others seek to explore their future career paths through internships and work experience programmes before committing to studying for a certain degree. Whichever way young people choose to spend
this
year
, in my opinion, their greatest motivation is a desire to learn more about themselves, their interests and
aspirations
Correct pronoun usage
their aspirations
show examples
. Despite these valid reasons, delaying
university
studies has some downsides. Travelling for a long period of time or working at
this
relatively young age may be stressful. Some individuals may
also
feel left behind when they see all their friends going to
university
and graduating one
year
earlier.
This
emotional stress may be
further
exaggerated by the financial burden of travelling or volunteering without pay for an extra
year
. Eventually, once the gap
year
is over, young people may discover that their study skills have diminished over time and returning to full-time education may be even harder.
To conclude
, some school leavers delay going to
university
in order to discover themselves, explore future career paths and gain useful skills through work or travel.
However
, they are
also
risking encountering more stress and expenses than their peers who progress straight to their bachelor’s programmes.
Submitted by wayne.chen027 on

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