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Why I Proudly Wait For My Gap-Year

Ignore the gap-year stigma. If you truly appreciate your education, you will get back on the constant "crunch-mode wagon," but feeling refreshed and with a rekindled passion for the process.

Angela Riccitello

Oct 23, 2019

Rutgers University

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Trust me, I'm incredibly grateful for my education. This includes the power, discipline, and knowledge that comes with being a Scarlet Knight. However, as I approach my 22nd birthday, I'm experiencing a pre-quarter-life-crisis. I've been in "crunch time" for the past eight years, from taking AP classes in high school to conquering 4.0 GPA season every semester. However, my life is flashing before my eyes. Once I graduate, I am thrilled to start living my life outside of the classroom, because I earned my gap-year, with physical, mental and social expenses.

My mind and body need a break from work-overload

During the semester, my body is in constant fight-or-flight mode, with a running mind in an infinite race, and an omnipresent to-do list. According to an article by Harvard Health Publishing, anxiety-ridden college students are simultaneously on the rise with mental illness diagnoses, such as depression. "Crunch time" is slowly killing us, mentally and physically. I want to live past 30 without health complications caused by chronic college stress. I need a temporary leave from work-overload.

My love for learning will reignite

Similar to how some couples need to take a "break" from eachother just to reunite in the future, my organized breakup with school will rekindle my current exhausted drive for learning.

I'm ready to start living my life outside of the classroom

I'm capable of doing more than memorizing quizlets and creating color-coded calendars. Rutgers helped me develop my discipline and time management skills, but I'm ready to transition from a professional student to a professional life-liver; to use my brain to learn how to play an instrument, start a hobby beyond making flashcards, begin my career, and to finally turn my group chats off from "do not disturb." Rutgers helped prepare me with the skills, and now I'm ready to use them in action before my graduate school comeback.

Don't let the stigma of taking a gap year scare you away from the true mental and physical benefits of it. Unless you love the constant state of chronic stress, take the gap-year and let your love for knowledge reignite after a well-deserved break.

If you truly care about your education, you will get back on the constant crunch-mode wagon, but feeling refreshed with a rekindled passion for the process.

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Why I Proudly Wait For My Gap-Year

Ignore the gap-year stigma. If you truly appreciate your education, you will get back on the constant "crunch-mode wagon," but feeling refreshed and with a rekindled passion for the process.

My mind and body need a break from work-overload

My love for learning will reignite

I'm ready to start living my life outside of the classroom

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It's Been a Long Winter Break

Making the world safer through language.

1. Use singular they for people whose pronouns you don't know, people who use those pronouns, and stop using him/her.

2. Stop using the words "opposite sex" or "both sexes" or "opposite gender" or "both genders".

3. Ask people's pronouns when you meet them.

4. Use the word cisgender.

5. Stop saying "born a boy/girl" about a transgender or non-binary person.

6. Stop using the term 'preferred pronouns'.

7. Stop using a transgender or non-binary person's dead name.

Sometimes, we just can't help the feelings we have

1. Wow. My voice sounds amazing with this song.

2. Okay, if you can't sing, don't do it.

3. But wait, I don't think I can be friends with someone who isn't going to jam out in the car with me.

4. Dance part in the car! Even when I'm alone. Because every song is my favorite.

5. Stop light. Act calm. Be cool.

6. Yes! Green light! Back at it!

7. I don't know this song, but I'm going to sing along anyway.

8. Why am I not famous yet?

9. Being next to someone who can't sing so you feel good about yourself because you rock!

10. OK, I'm so good. I need to sing louder so I can help these people out.

11. My voice doesn't reach some of those notes, maybe I should sit this one out.

12. Randomly bursting out in song and getting weird looks because of it.

13. God, thank you so much for giving me a good voice.

14. Man, I feel bad for people who can't sing.

15. Was I just humming? Did they hear me?

16. Having dance moves to go along with most songs.

17. Not being able to stop yourself at correcting people when they mess up.

18. Maybe I should post myself singing.

19. Nah, can't do it. Dumb idea.

20. Having my own personal concert in the shower. Every single time.

Normal people wouldn't understand

1. Having time to nap between classes or at all.

2. Waking up 10 minutes before your class starts and making it there in time.

3. Making it to class in general

4. Only having to hit the snooze button three times.

5. When you didn't do the homework and the teacher decides not to collect it for that day.

6. Getting that "I'm sorry, but class is cancelled" email.

7. Finding a quiet seat in the library.

8. Actually enjoying a class and understanding all of the material.

9. Having a friend to eat lunch with.

10. Finishing an assignment before the due date.

11. When there is free food on campus.

Becuase of all things to be addicted to, you're addicted to making money.

1. You can't remember your last day off.

2. Whenever someone asks to hang out, you're working.

3. When you do see your friends, you're in a "treating mood."

4. You work so much you don't have time to spend the money you're making.

5. You're too tired to function when you aren't working.

6. Finally seeing your friends and having way too much to catch up on.

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