Gap Year of High School - Coursework Example

How Dose Gap-Year Changes High-school Graduates Module Module ID: Introduction: The present paper is interested in making an exploration of the term gap-year, as well as pros and cons associated with it. One of the most noteworthy reasons behind making investigation of the topic afore-mentioned includes elaboration of the benefits of gap-year, and need for the students’ utilising these advantages, instead of getting involved into the activities that may drag them away from their studies, and hence lead them to establishing their priorities other than completing their professional education. Hence, the paper aims to provide a research-based orientation to the gap-year to the students and readers alike. While defining the gap-year, it simply refers to the time-period offering the students rest and respite from the studies, where the school or college students could freely enjoy the leisure time and recreational activities of their choice on the one side, and may devise schemes with regard to the subjects and disciplines to be opted for their further education for the career and professional life (Heath, 2007, p.91). Experiencing the Gap-Year: The gap-year maintains universal significance due to the very reality that it is observed in almost all parts of the world. According to the Longitudinal Survey of Australia, the incidence of taking a gap-year in the country has increased from 10% in the period 1999–2000 to 24% in 2009–10 (2012, p.2). Consequently, the gap-year provides the students with the opportunity of exploring their aptitude and talent in studies, sports and creativity on the one side, and polishing their skills and abilities on the other in an environment that keeps them relaxed from the situation of stress and strain connected with the several years long school life having the constant pressure of studies and examinations at large. In other terms, gap-year serves as the time during which the young individuals can draw out their future plans in the light of their previous performance as well as aims, ambitions and preferences. As a result, the students long for the arrival of the gap-year in their student life (Crawford & Cribb, 2012, p.8); which could offer them some pause from the routine life consists of several years since their joining the pre-school at their early childhood. Advantages of Gap-Year: As discussed above, one of the most significant benefits attributed to the gap-year includes its granting the students with ample time to refresh themselves through the enjoyments life offers to man. In other words, the students seek the free moments to move to some historical and recreational places of their interest within or outside their city and state to relax their minds and discover the realities existing within their natural, physical and social phenomena. Gutner (2008) in his study conducted on the gap-year maintains that the students with the experiences of gap-year earn more ability to concentrate upon adultness and incentive. Moreover, there are plenty of options for students and parents to choose during the year taken off from the studies. As a result, some of them choose to get relaxed by staying at home on the one side, and embark upon some outdoor ventures on the other. Another important benefit having relation with the gap-year includes the students’ having chances of getting involved into some creative or financial activities, including working as internee or volunteer for some organisation. Hence, although students may confine to in-door games at home during the free time; nevertheless, working as internee or volunteer is considered to be some of the most popular and common pursuits to be performed by the students during their gap-year (Holmund et al, 2008, p.689). As a result, a considerable majority of the students looks interested in allocating their energies in the productive tasks and ventures in general, which is viewed to be a noteworthy benefit of the gap-year. Embarking upon something extraordinarily creative also serves one among the most imperative advantages of the gap-year. For instance, the students’ conducting some research on valuable topic related to social or pure sciences as well as producing or analysing some literary genre of piece during their one year long leisure time may also turn out to be highly supportive for the students in respect of earning acknowledgement and recognition on the one side, and determining of their future goals and ambitions on the other. It may also lead them to start some corporate venture in the lines similar to the ones launched by the contemporary era brilliant business tycoons including Bill Gates, Richard Branson and others. Similarly, the students may also make plans of visiting the slum areas, hospitals and healthcare centres to see the people suffering from different financial problems, health issues and disabilities. It not only helps them to obtain profound information about the social stratification existing in all societies of the world (Macionis, 2008, p.256); but also they could learn regarding the pains and sufferings of the poor, needy and ill members of society. As a result, their exposure of social establishment may seek a tremendous boost subsequently. Thus, gap-year could rightly be declared to be the time that provides the students with the opportunities of widening their exposure, improving their skills and deciding and determining their forthcoming prospects and future destination as well. In addition, the students’ obtaining experience as internee turns out to be supportive in respect of rendering services as professionals for the future days to come in some specific field or area of work. Moreover, the students while serving as internee or volunteers are in the position of discovering their likes and dislikes as potential professionals. Consequently, they could take the same or similar course of study as optional subjects on their return to school or college (Holmund et al, 2008, p.695). Hence, students may seek some specific career direction on utilising the gap-year in a rational and sensible manner (Knoll, 2012). As a result, on their getting admission in some senior courses of studies, they come to know that they can achieve the degrees and certificates of their provided they keep on working hard after taking decision in the light of their aptitude and preferences (Gutner, 2008). Thus, they are in the position of adopting the same subjects they had once dreamed of. It mostly takes place under the situation when the students pass their exams and realise that they cannot undertake the courses they dreamt of. In most cases students have high expectations but when their results come they find that they have not achieved what they had planned. Thus, their planning during free year may turns out to be supportive in making plans for the further studies. Disadvantages of the Gap-Year: Despite the very fact that gap-year contains several benefits and advantages in its fold; nonetheless, there are many disadvantages associated with the one-year off-time between the two educational courses. One of the most enduring drawbacks of the gap-year includes its creating a long break on the steadiness of the studies. In simple words, the students find themselves to be drifted apart from education and curricular syllabus, and forget the habit of working under-pressure while making preparations for assignments and examinations. In addition, gap-year may also make them careless by upsetting their habit of regularity and punctuality they having been witnessing during the last several years (Knoll, 2012). Hence, gap-year may turn the students to be sluggish, unpunctual and lazy in the wake of it. Furthermore, taking a year off may lead to the ruination of the scheduled life of the students, because absence of the supervision of the teachers and their fear encourages the students to act out of their own, instead of observing discipline in the lines and pattern of life as a regular and enrolled student (Birch & Miller, 2007, p.335). It is an undeniable reality that once students develop the routine of staying free by delaying the college and studies as well, there are higher probabilities of accepting the temptation of life other than education. Thus, it is necessary for the students that they must understand the importance of the pressure, strictness and restriction they have experienced throughout their educational life (Knoll, 2012). If the students forget to pay due heed to studies and other responsibilities as well during the gap-year, which is generally the case with an overwhelming majority of them, they will not remain efficient and prudent to recall the original intention and interest in education, which is get well-prepared before the career, instead of enjoying the ability of earning money after they undergo the burden of becoming independent and earning hand, instead of relying upon the parents for the fulfilment of their financial after reaching the grown-up years and entering the practical life as well. Moreover, since the students are aware of the fact that they do not have the fear of exams and accomplishing of assignments and class-work, a large majority of them start taking the things in a casual way. Under such circumstances, there are chances of their going astray and wasting the precious moments of life in non-productive activities, which tend to push them far away from their education. Thus, gap in study may turn out to be fatal even for the students that had been very responsible during their educational career. Productive Utilising of the Gap-Year: It is a reality beyond suspicion that the gap-year could be equally beneficial and disadvantageous for the students; hence, the main thing is the way the students consume the off-time between two educational courses. Although making the decision whether there should be gap-year or not in the educational life could be simple and easy one; somehow, the important task to be accomplished is the devising and implementation of some specific scheme for consuming leisure time in an effective and productive manner. First of all, the students must decide whether they intend to continue their studies or not after the completion of gap-year. It is particularly the case with the students, who are in doubt whether they would get admission in an educational institution for further studies or not. Secondly, they must consider whether or not they would start some activity, during the gap-year, which could boost their proficiency on the basis of their educational qualification and skills, necessary for joining the career as a professional. If they do not think over these issues, the students after spending some off-weeks after college will start forgetting the activities they had learnt during their enrolment and attending high school, essential to focus on their future life (Knoll, 2012). As a result, the gap only exists at the moment when the students put aside their ambitions of re-joining some other educational institution, and waste time in useless pursuits. On the contrary, the students keeping in-touch with books, syllabus, study-related activities and other positive ventures, may utilise the gap-year in a highly effective and productive way. By the time they join the college, they must be aware of all their society requires from them; consequently, they should keep on carrying out the acts during the off-year, which could add value to their future life (Knoll, 2012). The prudent and rational students are well-aware of the fact that the other members of society assume them to be very productive individuals, who would come up with solutions that can solve the existing problems of society. Since the youth is regarded to be the potential leaders of the entire social establishment, they should manage some time to have interaction with the present leaders to enable them acquire the required skills and abilities. They should not only focus on education but they should also aim to apply what they have learned in the classroom (Knoll, 2012). The best way to appreciate what they had learned in their high school is through interaction with society members and learning what they do and even try to come up with improvements. Thus the gap year is taken as a time of further learning and not a waste of time (Knoll, 2012). Read More