• Question: did you take a gap year

    Asked by anon-328813 on 10 Jun 2022.
    • Photo: Sophie Richardson

      Sophie Richardson answered on 10 Jun 2022:

      I didn’t take a gap year between school and university, but I did take a year out between my 2nd and 3rd year of university to do a placement year (sometimes called a sandwich course). I was struggling with motivation to go through another exam cycle at the end of my 2nd year, so this opportunity was great to have a break from studying and exams.

    • Photo: Rachel Harris

      Rachel Harris answered on 10 Jun 2022:

      No, I didn’t, but I’m planning to take one after my PhD. If you think you want to do one (and can fund it) then go for it, it certainly wouldn’t stop you from pursuing any career after. My sister did one before uni and it was really good for her – she became more responsible and independent.

    • Photo: Devin Bendixsen

      Devin Bendixsen answered on 10 Jun 2022:

      I did not take a gap year. For financial reasons, it wasn’t really an option for me at the time.

    • Photo: Karin Purshouse

      Karin Purshouse answered on 10 Jun 2022:

      I didn’t between high school and university (I was both keen to start my long university course and didn’t know what I wanted to do if I took a gap year) but I did take a year out after working for a couple of years and moved abroad. My friends who took gap years after high school really enjoyed it, but I think it’s important to remember that you can often take gap years later, which is how I did it!

    • Photo: Holly Hall

      Holly Hall answered on 10 Jun 2022:

      I couldn’t afford one but lots of people do.

      Now my friends joke that I’ve done a speed run in my career because I didn’t take a break.

    • Photo: Rosie Matthews

      Rosie Matthews answered on 10 Jun 2022:

      I will be between this year (my masters) and before starting my postgraduate medical degree – I need a brain break! Ha

    • Photo: Erminia Romano

      Erminia Romano answered on 11 Jun 2022:

      Yes, after my PhD. It was the best choice ever!

    • Photo: Chelsea Gerada

      Chelsea Gerada answered on 13 Jun 2022:

      I haven’t ever taken a gap year and whilst I’m relatively young for my career position I do regret not taking a gap before my PhD because it was a very intense period that was hard to take lots of time off

    • Photo: Maria Peiris Pages

      Maria Peiris Pages answered on 13 Jun 2022:

      I didn’t! This isn’t a common thing in Catalonia at all (where I am from and studied). I did go on a nice trip to Kenya to celebrate that I had finished University though 🙂

    • Photo: Emer Curley

      Emer Curley answered on 15 Jun 2022:

      I took a bit of an accidental gap year because I got ill in my first term of University and had to leave for the year and come back next year; I’m happy to say that it made almost no difference and I got on with the new cohort just as well (and some of my best friends are the people I met after my year off).

      So if you can’t make it straight after University or you have a good opportunity that causes you to delay don’t worry about it; a year seems like a long time when you’re at secondary school but you’ll have people off all ages and backgrounds in your undergrad class so it won’t make a difference once you get there.

    • Photo: Seung Hyun Lee

      Seung Hyun Lee answered on 20 Jun 2022:

      I didn’t take a gap year. I would have taken one if I had a choice. There are pros and cons to take a gap year, it is good to think about them.

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