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Woman Who Took A Gap Year Says She Feels Embarrassed Returning To College, People Respond With Their Late-Life College Experiences
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Woman Who Took A Gap Year Says She Feels Embarrassed Returning To College, People Respond With Their Late-Life College Experiences

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Every one of us goes through life one major milestone at a time. Slowly, but surely, we transition from early childhood to the teen years, then become young adults, go to school graduations, change jobs, get married, have kids, and so on. All the way through to retirement (or even beyond), one milestone at a time.

One of the most significant transitions is the one from high school to college or university. This is when we have to make the final decision about what we want to do in life—and it’s an important one.

So, it should come as no surprise that some decide to take a gap year—a period of time to be used for reflecting upon this life decision. Despite some being of the opinion that it is deliberate self-hindrance, forcing ourselves to fall behind others, consequently encouraging a stigma around it, it was actually proven to be an effective way of figuring things out.

RELATED:

    CeeDanyell tweeted about her difficulties with returning to college after some gap years

    Image credits: CeeDanyell

    Twitter user CeeDanyell posted about how she’s embarrassed to be going back to college after having spent some time away from it all. She said that the people she graduated high school with were near graduating college at that point, while she’ll only going to be a sophomore.

    This is one of those moments where that nasty stigma I told you about took the forefront.

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    Got a surprising response of support from another Tweeter

    Image credits: Meck0

    However, another user by the tag of Meck0 came to the rescue and shared his experience with the gap year. And how it’s not the end of the world.

    He explained that he took an 8-year hiatus. It was such a long time that the guy he had tutored before he left was now his professor when he returned. Moreover, during a casual conversation, he found out that the professor had visa issues and had spent 15 years getting a 5-year degree.

    He concluded by saying that things like graduation and whatnot don’t have a determined deadline and that everyone has their own pace. And that is OK: “Just run your race love; the finish line don’t have an expiration date.”

    And soon many others jumped in sharing their own experience

    Image credits: Buenisi_Ma

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    Image credits: DoctorCiocio

    Image credits: BTS_fiend

    This wholesome exchange of tweets went viral and a number of other Internauts jumped in to share their own stories of how taking a gap year turned out alright in the end, if not much better than having no gap year at all.

    Despite some saying gap years are counter-productive, studies show positive personal outcomes among gappers

    Image credits: Gap Year Association National Alumni Survey

    According to the Gap Year Association National Alumni Survey, a staggering 81% of all survey participants said they were very likely to recommend taking a gap year to someone considering it.

    The survey went on to explain that the main reasons for taking a year off were to gain life experiences and experience personal growth (92%); to travel, see the world, and experience other cultures (85%); and to take a break from the traditional academic track (81%)—all considered reasons that enrich the person.

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    This, in turn, allowed the respondents to develop more as a person, increase in maturity, gain greater self-confidence, and get to know people and places around the world.

    Here is how the rest of the internet cheered Cee on

    Image credits: theDiverge

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    Image credits: Isys619

    Image credits: michaeliot

    Image credits: JacquelynGill

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    This story also received a lot of support from the Reddit community

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    Robertas Lisickis

    Robertas Lisickis

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    Some time ago, Robertas used to spend his days watching how deep the imprint in his chair will become as he wrote for Bored Panda. Wrote about pretty much everything under and beyond the sun. Not anymore, though. He's now probably playing Gwent or hosting Dungeons and Dragons adventures for those with an inclination for chaos.

    Read less »
    Robertas Lisickis

    Robertas Lisickis

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Some time ago, Robertas used to spend his days watching how deep the imprint in his chair will become as he wrote for Bored Panda. Wrote about pretty much everything under and beyond the sun. Not anymore, though. He's now probably playing Gwent or hosting Dungeons and Dragons adventures for those with an inclination for chaos.

    What do you think ?
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    Joley Hidaka
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm 51 years old and a college sophomore. Most of my professors are younger than I am. I'm old enough to be the other students' mother but I have life and career experience that puts me way ahead of the game in many ways. #nevertoolate

    Meyer Weinstock
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'll be 51 this Summer, when I take my last class for this master's degree program. I am the oldest person in every class, save for the instructor.

    Load More Replies...
    Full Name
    Community Member
    4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oddly enough that feeling is way worse if you only miss a few years and your peers are still in the same school. If you are middle aged and you go back you are so far removed, and it's obvious you have real-world experience so you're not looked down on and you don't feel so awkward because the separation is more clearly defined. Plus being an adult and having adult money makes it so much better. Skip that starving student phase.

    Daria B
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    1 gap year is totally normal. Many students around the world do it to earn money for the next semesters. In Korea you can even officially apply for gap years at your university.

    Load More Comments
    Joley Hidaka
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm 51 years old and a college sophomore. Most of my professors are younger than I am. I'm old enough to be the other students' mother but I have life and career experience that puts me way ahead of the game in many ways. #nevertoolate

    Meyer Weinstock
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'll be 51 this Summer, when I take my last class for this master's degree program. I am the oldest person in every class, save for the instructor.

    Load More Replies...
    Full Name
    Community Member
    4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oddly enough that feeling is way worse if you only miss a few years and your peers are still in the same school. If you are middle aged and you go back you are so far removed, and it's obvious you have real-world experience so you're not looked down on and you don't feel so awkward because the separation is more clearly defined. Plus being an adult and having adult money makes it so much better. Skip that starving student phase.

    Daria B
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    1 gap year is totally normal. Many students around the world do it to earn money for the next semesters. In Korea you can even officially apply for gap years at your university.

    Load More Comments
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