A drop or a gap year is the one thing that will always have a stigma attached to it. The concept of a drop year is generally not favoured. It is the one thing any student’s parents will always be sceptical of.
However, when do you really need a drop year? Is it worth it? What can you accomplish during a drop year?
Have you been contemplating the answer to all of these questions? Fortunately, you have stumbled upon the perfect blog.
Here’s when you need a drop year:
- You have to prepare for a competitive exam
This is the most common reason among students who go for a gap year. They either do not get the desired scores in a competitive exam or prepare an entire year to take their first attempt. However, the preparation has to be rigorous and well-done because one can generally not afford to take another gap year to prepare for the same examination.
- You are unsure about what you need to major in
Universities in the United States of America, Canada and a few other countries usually give their students a year or more to figure out their major. However, that is mostly not the case in India. In such a situation, taking a year to discover what you really want to study and major in is justified. This also gives the student a year to figure out the various competitive exams that they might need to sit for to get to their targeted universities.
- You want to explore various industries
If you believe you do not wish to study further, a drop year gives you the opportunity to intern with various industries and figure out which one do you really wish to build a career in. These internships help you build a skillset through industry experience.
- You need to travel or indulge in another activity
We are firm believers in maintaining good mental health and a good headspace. Just because we have been programmed to study constantly until we have our life together, does not mean we need to. Higher education isn’t easy (or cheap) and if you think you are not in the headspace to commit to it a hundred per cent, taking a gap year is a fair choice to make. Indulge yourself in activities that have been of interest to you but you couldn’t try due to the academic pressure and a lack of time. Give yourself time. Spend time with the ones you love. Visit places, read while researching a lot until you are sure of what you want to do and can do.
Things you should aim at accomplishing at the end of a drop year:
- Build skillset
If you are spending your gap year reading, writing, experimenting and interning, you should aim at making the best of it. Build a skill set that will take you a step close to your dream university and dream job. This will also help you stand out from the crowd because you will have better clarity.
- Clear the exam
We know the blog has come with a wide range of options, but let’s go back a little, shall we? Remember the competitive exam you took a gap year for? Yes, work for it and study enough to clear so you can go experience the brilliant college life that you will have worked so hard for.
- Pick a major
If you were confused about your major at the start of your gap year, aim for clarity and a decision by the end of it. Carry out thorough research and do enough courses to figure out what will work the best for you. Let’s get those college applications shooting!
- Find something you love and explore your options
If you have interned and volunteered enough, have you figured the industry that gives you a sense of belongingness? Now, let’s work for it. In case you are successful in picking a field, you can do a vocational course or a diploma relevant to the same. Why? The course will provide you with integral theoretical and practical learnings relevant to your job profile.
However, in case a year isn’t enough and you feel like you have failed, remember that it is okay. You are under no compulsion to be certain about a decision.
Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing. — Denis Waitley
Now take your time and explore more.
Get in touch with EdLighten to connect you with counsellors and mentors across the globe to provide you with clarity and a real picture of what you should be looking at. Here at EdLighten, we are driven by our passion to mentor, steer, and guide aspirants to their dream. Book a free 30-minute session with us and take the first step towards simplifying your path ahead.
