So, you followed what you thought you were ready to study after high school and are now thinking you've made a mistake. Maybe your grades aren’t where you want them to be, maybe you are overwhelmed by all of the changes, or your program or school just isn’t the right fit.
Or, maybe you just graduated, but you feel anxious about launching into grad school or the workforce because school didn’t prepare you for the real world.
You want to feel confident and ready as you finish your diploma or degree. Yet, taking a break makes you feel like you’re falling further behind.
You are not alone and you are never too old to take a gap year.
We are here to tell you that it is OKAY to take a break and you are not a failure for honouring what you need while you figure out your next steps. Actually, you’ll benefit more from an intentional pause in your studies rather than pushing through when you're burnt out and unfocused.
So, how do you know if it’s the right choice?
First - have you looked into your school’s policy to see if you can take a break without penalty?
Yes, this exists! It’s often called a short-term withdrawal or academic leave.
What you’ll want to do is get in touch with your student success team and have them show you what to do and how to do it. This allows you to jump back into your current program at the same spot you left, but this time, feeling a lot more excited and motivated about what’s ahead.
Next, you need a plan.
To make sure your break is purposeful, you’re going to need to get clear on your why, then figure out the what.
Our 4-Step Gap Year Planner is an instant downloadable planning tools that helps you break down the key components of a purposeful gap year so you can build a clear plan of action guiding you forward.
Along the way, you’ll get connected to cool opportunities across Canada, including jobs, internships and scholarships, programs that help you gain hands-on experience, and digital badge certifications that beef up your resume.
