After school I was a year abroad, the so called "gap year", then started to study for the first career, finished, worked a few years, did some smaller further on studies in my sparetime, started to study for the second (different) career (but the first one is useful for the second one) and plan to do between Bachelor (will be finished next year) and Master another year abroad. Some people find that strange and tell me I really cannot LOOSE another year (and at my age!). In my opinion it is not lost! Lost? I mean, how can time, that I use to fulfill a dream and all the experiences I will gain with that, be lost time? If I would only look at studying and working, working, working without taking time for living my dreams, isn´t it then a lost life? All right work experience is important, earning money too, especially when looking at the pension one gets later etc. However this is not ALL what life is about... why always rushing and never taking the time for the really important and so beautiful things in life? That can be something short and simple like strolling through a meadow and just breathing and listening or something that takes more time, like going abroad for seeing more of the world, experiencing different cultures, personal development, improving the language is of course a part as well... Do I see the whole thing so wrong? What is your opinion? Thanks! TerokNor
I don't think you have it wrong at all. If you have the chance to have another year doing just what you want to do, then go for it. Chances are you'll regret it for the rest of your life if you don't. Who says we all have to live life to the same script?
People are mindless idiots. They go to college when they're 18-19, because their parents said so. They binge drink and have a series of ultimately meaningless relationships because they're urged to. They graduate and start looking for marriage material, because "that's the thing to do." They get a corporate job because it's "good" and get married because it's "about time." Despite people's obsession with "expressing individuality" and "going their own path" most people have a very limited understanding, and absolutely no desire to do what they say. It's easier to do what everyone else is doing, and do it on roughly their schedule. Peer pressure and insecurity abound in it. Remember, it's your life, you can choose to use it however you want. Take as much time as you want, because you cannot go back once you're gone. It's never the same. Basically, if you're happy, #### the whole damn world. Take another year off if you want to.
If you can do that without straining your finances too much, by all means go for it! No time is really "lost", except if you shut joy and wonder out of your life. The world is an amazing place. Enjoy it!
I think you meant "LOSE." If you're going to put the word in all CAPS, you should at least spell it right. Anyway, yeah, you're fine. Travel the world. Do your thing. Maybe your friends just miss you and want to keep you around. It just depends on your priorities and how soon you wish to settle down. If you're not ready to settle and you have the means to travel, then you should definitely do it.
Time spent enjoying life is never wasted, so by all means, travel and do whatever if you have the resources!
Oh I do it, no matter what other people say, I just wondered, what the thoughts to this are on here. I am glad, that here are people, who do see the wisdom in spending time for "living"....and do not understand under "living" only working, partying and getting drunk on the weekends. And I agree, the world is an amazing place. TerokNor P.S. *G* Ups... well now I could say the second O was an accident... ok it wasn´t. Oh well...now I know it better.
When you really think about it, one year is not that much time. But spent properly, building yourself, growing, developing and expanding your knowledge of yourself and the world, that same year can mean a lifetime. If you can afford it, then you should do it, travel and do all those things that you feel you are missing in the everyday life. It will give you memories and wisdom that you will cherish and remember for the rest of your life. I have never had such a year off, but would really like to do something like that one day I am out of college and get a job so that I can afford it etc... (already getting feeling that it will probably never happen). So if you can, take a year off. You can only gain so much from that experience.
Go for it. When you're old, you won't be thinking "oh I wish I had spent more of my time working" anyway. Best to get those life experiences while you can.
If you can financially swing it and it doesn't hurt your long term prospects, go for it! I agree that the experience can be worthwhile. Just as long as it doesn't detract from long-term prospects. And, that's not because a career is all important, but because when you earn good money you can continue to travel and do things like that. No salary, no travel. That's the truth in the real world. Mr Awe
On your death bed you'll definitely remember that year better than one of those mindless years spent working in a cubicle.
Someone told a friend of mine recently that the 15 hours per day she works are not enough (we are all PhD candidates). In my opinion *he* is the one losing his years. You, on the other hand, are right. You have to have a life. Sure, we all do things that we don't enjoy because we have to *but* the key is to take the time and also do things that are fulfilling to us.
I think he will let loose the year, in the way lesser gods let loose the Kraken. LET LOOSE THE YEAR!!! On a more serious note, I never got to take a year off to tool around foreign countries, or just generally live life. So I regret it a bit. Get it in while you can.
Thank you. You warm the cockles of my heart and so melt my cynicism just a fraction. Don't worry though, the contemptuousness will doubtless return tomorrow.
My mom is saying the exact same thing. I cant lose any more years, before I go to college. -Long story-