Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

Has anyone taken a year off for whatever reason and can they give me advice?

I'm 20 and going to be going into my fourth year for my BA in Economics this fall. Before I entered Uni. I decided to do a 3 year degree in 4 or a 4 year degree in 5. I'm considering the following options;

i) Just take a semester or year off to travel, my parents will HATE this and I don't want to disrespect them. I'm 99% not going to do this but at times I just feel like packing my laptop in a backpack and leaving ASAP.
ii) Do 1 year, get my BA THEN travel for awhile. I can come back after that and do 1 more year to get my BA Honors in Business Economics.
iii) Just do two more years and get my Honors then leave.

Right now I'm leaning towards option 2 but everyone has been telling me to suck it up and do 3. All my friends says that I'm not going to want to come back to school after I leave. I should just get my Honors NOW then I'll be free to do whatever for awhile before I work or get more schooling.

With 2 I was thinking of travelling by myself or teaching English for a year. It's not for the money, just experience. The BA will let me apply for a working visa to some of the places I want to be in if I choose to do the etaching English thing.

I'm just so bored and feel tired and stressed a lot. Nothing excites me anymore and I feel really unmotivated to do anything. I know it sounds whiny and immature.

Should I just get my Honors before I do anything? In that year off am I going to forget some stuff and have to study harder when I get back?

Can anyone who has taken time off give me their two cents?

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

Just curious, will travel solve this?


Unless you have some really good reason to go now, some opportunity that will not be here in two years, then save yourself a graduation present.

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

Well from someone older (41) One of the biggest regrets is not taking time off when younger to travel. I had the oppurtunity to go to Australia for a year and did not take it. Do it and do not listen to anyones davice here unless they are over 30. Trust me it will be the highlight of life.

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

Travel is a good idea.

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

Tough call, but my thoughts are more in line with Lozen's.

Maybe finish the B.A., but IF IT WERE ME, I'd travel before the honors degree. I'm over 30, and I just regret doing so much in school without yet having a clue about what I really wanted. As a result, a lot of it was wasted effort. I think taking some time off is not a bad thing at all in a lot of cases. It might save you from doing something you will regret 10 years from now. You still have a lot of time.

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Just curious, will travel solve this?


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I don't know. I just know last year was the first time I ever really travelled outside of Canada and it was the 6 best weeks of my life. I finally got to see what I wanted to and just relax and have fun with friends.

[ QUOTE ]
Tough call, but my thoughts are more in line with Lozen's.

Maybe finish the B.A., but IF IT WERE ME, I'd travel before the honors degree. I'm over 30, and I just regret doing so much in school without yet having a clue about what I really wanted. As a result, a lot of it was wasted effort. I think taking some time off is not a bad thing at all in a lot of cases. It might save you from doing something you will regret 10 years from now. You still have a lot of time.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's where I am now. I have no idea what I want to do.

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

As someone also 20, if you don't have a path you want to take for a career right now, then this is an excellent time to travel and look for your lifes passion. You will thank yourself when you are older.

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

You still here? Go get out of here Travel

Question is Europe or Australia

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

I am taking a year off from college to travel.
Thanks to poker i have a chance to travel at my age(20), and thats a opportunity not many guys my age has. I also didnt enjoy college as much i hoped i would, and im hoping that i will be more motivated to live a funnier college life when i come back.

Hope this makes sense.

btw, im planing to rent a house in thailand or somewhere in the caribbean with some friends [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

life doesn't have to be that hard, just do what you want to do.

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I am taking a year off from college to travel.
Thanks to poker i have a chance to travel at my age(20), and thats a opportunity not many guys my age has. I also didnt enjoy college as much i hoped i would, and im hoping that i will be more motivated to live a funnier college life when i come back.

Hope this makes sense.

btw, im planing to rent a house in thailand or somewhere in the caribbean with some friends [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

That makes perfect sense and you're going to have an awesome time.

[ QUOTE ]
life doesn't have to be that hard, just do what you want to do.

[/ QUOTE ]

That would be pretty nice but I'm just trying to think of and avoid any consequences or whatever.

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

i took the last year off. Internship for a while, poker for a lot, europe for a while. Just take the time off. School isn't going anywhere. whatever.

and honestly, "whatever" is a completely serious response. If you want to and can afford it, do it. Get out of your comfort zone a little.

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

I also took last year off, went traveling trough Europe with 2 friends. It was the best experience I've ever had in my life and I came back fresh and motivated.

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

just finish it, travel afterward. i dont know anyone who has taken a break from school and ever went back. there was a poster about it at GCC back in the day saying 91% of students who take a semester off never return.

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

good. school can wait. you are young...what the hell is the hurry? seriously. bunch of nerds.

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

Get out of there right now. I spent last year in South America: best year of my life.

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

I left school and travelled. Probably won't go back. But, it's was the best decision i've ever made and I couldn't be happier.

I would stick it out for one more year and leave.

- Cancuk

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

bunch of nerds graduating and on the way to good money... you can take better and longer trips after your first year of work, the world isnt going anywhere.

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

Just food for thought... leaving school is a bad financial decision.

A) If you have college loans, you lose your grace period and have to start paying them back.
B) You're no longer covered by your parent's medical insurance.
C) You may no longer be a dependant of your parents (can't remember if that happens at 20 or 22 when you're not in school)... which means their taxes go up a noticable amount while yours go down only slightly.

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

finish degree first, then travel.

then contact me about coming to aust: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...rue#Post6427111

Re: Taking a year off to travel, good/bad?
 

If you are gettings honors, there should be plenty of study abroad programs available.

Travel + Be productive = have your cake and eat it too