As we approach the end of the school year, the decision of what to do after high school looms for juniors and seniors alike. It is easy to fall into the mundane routine of heading straight to a four year college. It is commonly misconceived that this is critical in order to be successful and essentially, happy. However, this is not the case. There are various suitable options for those who don’t see themselves heading to college straight out of high school.

An alternative is taking a “gap year.” A gap year is defined as a period, typically an academic year, taken by a student as a break between secondary school and higher education. Gap years can be seen as “taboo” or as a way for students who are too lazy to go to college to procrastinate another year, but these are just common misconceptions. Over time education has become synonymous with schooling, however opportunities to learn are all around us, and are certainly not confined to a classroom setting.

Gap years, a common practice in the UK and increasing in popularity in the US, can be an enriching step in a young adult’s life. Gap years are proven to mature and even re-motivate a student who has been burned out in high school or just needs some time to consider what they want to do. Even Ivy League colleges such as Harvard, Princeton and Tufts publicly promote and encourage students to take advantage of the time after high school to grow, learn and explore outside of a “school” environment.

There are a variety of options to fully utilize ones gap year; one can join the military, master a trade, intern, volunteer, travel, work full-time, write a book and even start a business! Whatever your interest is, it is a great time to pursue it and easier than you may think.

If you are someone who finds a gap year as an appealing alternative, visit http://usagapyearfairs.org/ or http://www.americangap.org/about.php to find more information about how to make your gap year a reality.