However, it is okay to take a break from school to ensure that you are comfortable in where you are and what you are doing with your life. Many people do not understand that there are many others who do not have everything figured out. Believe it or not, there is a large and increasing amount of students taking leaves of absences from their university every semester, and below we will outline some of the reasons why.
Internship
Many students take a semester and sometimes even a year off to pursue opportunities which are only available to them during their years at university. Internships, CO-OPs, and study abroad plans are just a few examples as to why thousands of students decide to take a break from university life completely. These opportunities can allow you to gain a wider sense of knowledge, help you figure out what you want to do in the future, and allow you to network and meet people within the same occupational field as you. Many students take this time off because they believe that the benefits from the experience will outweigh the extra time spent in school.
Financial Obligations
rawpixel on UnsplashMany students take months, sometimes years off of school simply due to financial obligations which hinder them from being able to pay for university tuition. Though many universities offer scholarships, these are easily lost if a student has a difficult semester and does not maintain the minimum grade point average needed to keep a specific scholarship. It is not abnormal for students to have to leave in order to focus on working and making enough money full time in order to be able to afford to go back to school at a later point.
Difficult Coursework
Many students also decide to leave university because the coursework is not what they are used to, and is therefore extremely difficult for them. The majority of students who do this will begin to take online courses or transfer to a local community college later that has coursework that is more suitable for them academically. This is something that is not unheard of, as many students struggle with courses within a university, especially the students who did not take any college paced or advance placement courses throughout high school.
Desire for Change
A lot of students also take a break from university because they feel as though college is not the right environment for them. College is not for everyone, and many students have found other things that they wanted to strive for first before getting a degree and settling down with a job. Many students also go to a specific university and find that they chose the wrong environment to learn in, which causes a lot of people to take a break and decide for themselves what they are wanting to do next with their life and where they want to spend their time.
Mental Health
Mental health is extremely important, and it has statistically shown to decline drastically during the life of a young adult, specifically during time spent studying at a university. Many students feel as though they must take a leave of absence in order to take control of their own lives again and feel comfortable with themselves and their abilities. In college, everyone around you seems as though they are handling a billion different things at once so well, but in fact, most students will struggle with mental illness. Taking a break from school to focus on bettering your mental health does not make you weak, but rather it helps you to prepare yourself for what is to come next in life.
You are not alone if you have ever thought about taking a leave of absence from university or even dropping out completely. In the end, you are in control of your own life and happiness, therefore it is important to do what is best for you. Many people make leaving college or graduating later in life seem so taboo, but in fact, it is extremely common and should not be looked down upon because it shows dedication and persistence.
