If you grew up anything like I did then you know what it is like to be told “you must go to college,” or “college is the only way to succeed and prosper in life.” If you were lucky you got to hear the introductory phrase to one of the longest lectures you would ever hear “if I had only stuck with college…” Despite the advice from the adults in my life, going straight from my rigidly structured charter school, complete with uniforms, was one of the worst decisions I have ever made. However, this article’s purpose is not to highlight my regrets but rather how I came to understand that college is necessary, but only through taking a break from the beautiful campus of Western Carolina University did I come to this realization.

1. I left the bubble my parents had put around me much too soon.

I was not the wild child in high school. I did not go to parties, drink, nor did I participate in other recreational activities. Nevertheless, I was not ready for the freedom I received upon arrival at college. I was not mature enough to say no to partying, to not overdo the fun. I partied to the point where it affected my grades, not immediately, but eventually.

2. My mental health was not yet stable enough to survive the ups and downs of college life.

I was not prepared to deal with the challenges of college alone without my family's support. There was an instance where I let a college professor convince me I did not need my medication to function correctly in society. Needless to say, the professor was wrong, and I failed the class.

3. I was not mature enough to ignore other people's derogatory comments and opinions.

I needed to take a break from college to regroup. After you graduate from high school, you think that cliques will be something of the past. However, college is a rude awakening, wherever you may go in life, there will always be those who disapprove of you, and act like children with rumors and lies. Nevertheless, once you gain enough maturity, you learn that these people do not matter.

4. After attending a "college preparatory academy" for five years, I was burnt out on homework, on professors, and especially on tests.

I needed a break before diving back into yet another heavy course load.

5. I was not prepared to stay away from my family for as long as I needed to.

I needed more time with my parents, with my baby nieces, and with my brothers; time that was not completely consumed by school work.

6. My family was not financially stable enough to support me through college.

While my parents struggled to front the bill, to put me through college, I still debated whether I wanted to attend college.

7. My faith, in both myself and God, was not strong enough to withstand my failures during my time in college.

Without faith, we are but empty shells. It takes time to build a strong faith, safe from naysayers and hatred. I needed the break to restore my faith and bring it to an apex where no one could bring me down.

8. I was not entirely sure I even wanted to attend college.

After taking a break, and working in a restaurant, I changed my mind about not furthering my education. I had to work my way up the food chain, and even then, the money I was making would never be enough to help sustain a family.

9. Throughout my gap-year I had a steady income, while not enough to sustain me for life, it was enough to keep me afloat back at college.

Two weeks salary as a restaurant's office manager was more than sufficient to use as spending in the beautiful mountains of Cullowhee, North Carolina. Saving my money not only helped me never have to go without a necessity, but it also lifted a burden off of my parents.

10. While on break, I focused on myself, did what I enjoyed to do, and learned what I liked and disliked while working different jobs.

Before I left for college, I had an idea of what I would like my major to be, but my decision was not based on likes and dislikes but rather on theories and salaries. If I had deferred from college a semester and thought about what I wanted to study, maybe I would have saved time and money on the classes I took.

11. I needed a break once I reach the halfway mark in my college education, so that I could rest, regroup, and get ready for the homestretch.

While many people will say that you won't go back to college if you give up, I found this not to be true. I needed a break from school, so I could come back, pay more attention, and be a better student. I find that school is easier to conquer when broken into segments.