taking a year off of school...?

Question

i really do want to finish school. i'm halfway done with my associates degree and i'm almost 19... my dad and i have been fighting a lot and i don't think i can stand to live with him much longer so i'm moving in with some friends and i'm going to get a part time job to help pay rent. i just don't know about school right now. i'm really unhappy with the path that i'm on. my dad doesn't care - he just wants me to finish school. he doesn't care whether i major in something that makes me happy or not. i feel like i was just rushed into this whole thing and didn't get a chance to really think (for myself) about what i want to do with my life. i just think maybe if i took a break for awhile i could use the time to decide what's really important to me.

is this ok? i mean it's not like i'm never going to go back. i'll go back next fall. i'm halfway done with my degree already. i'm just so sick of everything right now... i don't know what else to do.

Answer 1

Many people will tell you that it's ok to take a break. Reality is that most people who take a break will never make it back.

I took a semester break in 1983 and didn't make it back to school to finish until 2002.

The problem is, once you take that break, life starts to happen and you don't have time or money for college...

Answer 2

The good thing about finishing your degree is that it's not binding you to a certain "path," it's something to fall back on when what you want to do isn't working out.

As the people said above me, going back will be hard, especially if you are unhappy with your program.

If you don't have the safety net of a degree, life can get difficult very quickly. Even if you don't like it, it will be a tool in your back pocket when you need it.

If you are going to take time off, I suggest using that time to volunteer, or better yet, volunteer while traveling. Go somewhere that is very foreign and far away. This is the best place to find youself and what matters to you, I find.

You alone know what is best for you. If school is so bad that it is killing your soul, then you might want to look at other options. Don't let anything get you down--life is too short for that.

Good luck! Don't give up.

Answer 3

You situation is not all that unusual. Really! A lot of people feel that way about school. They get started and then re-think their choices. I don't think you should stop attending school - it will be VERY difficult to get back if you take a break under these circumstances.

You don't say just what your issues are with your current major. Why don't you visit your advisor (or find an advisor you trust) and discuss the possibility of pursuing something else? Also, you can probably get some on-campus counseling to help you narrow down what your interests are.

Finally, I wouldn't worry TOO much about committing to a particular major. Most of the people I know aren't working in their college field. The further along in life you are, the more likely you are to have taken other opportunities. Remember, your college major is not a FOREVER decision.

Answer 4

Well this is a hard one. First off, if you get a part-time job, would you be able to continue in school if you move out? Can you afford school?

About taking a year off--there is not any easy answer. It is ok to take a year off, however, you must be strict with yourself about returning. Sometimes people do take a year off and later learn that it was a mistake, end up not going back, or find themselves in a situation where they are not able to go back anymore--I see it happen all the time. In contrast, others find that it was exactly what they needed, and return to school even more motivated and focused. Either way, you are still very young.

Really, the answer lies within yourself. Good luck on whatever you decide, just make sure you finish school in the end.

Answer 5

Stop thinking that because you're frustrated you can just drop everything. Start doing that now and you'll repeat it.

Your dad cares stay there with him.

Finish your degree, a college degree will get you a job in just about any career. You will NOT be stuck.

Are you choosing to be guided by people your own age with the same lack of experience as you? Does that make sense?

Pressure is a part of life; take one thing at a time, work on it, and then move on to the next. Yes, you can do it.

Answer 6

I was in a very simlilar situation as you a couple of years ago. I had attended college for one year and felt very rushed into it. I was a business major which was something my parents wanted for me but to be honest, I wasnt looking forward to working in this career field. I was also lacking money but wanted to move out. I ended up taking exactly one year off from school to just work, move into an apartment with a friend, save money, and figure out what I wanted, not what everyone else wanted from me. It seemed like everyone I knew thought that I would end up never going back to school but I did go back and know I am working on finishing my bachelors degree as a major in environmental zoology. I am very happy that I took a year off rather than spending all that time and money on something I didnt want.

Answer 7

why will you feel better "next fall" about the course..? the reality of todays work place is that you need a degree. you're half-way there..finish it. it sounds like part of the problem will be fixed after you move out. when you're 'on your own' alot of things get put into a more realistic perspective (like having food!). you can major when you get inspired to do so. try getting involved in something different at school, or in your community, to break up the stagnation..

Answer 8

my personal experience was similar to yours I didn't know what to do with the rest of my life and I was fighting with my father, after I took some time off from school I figured out what I love to do, interior design, and I went back to school and now I not only love it, but I make excellent grades. I think this is totally normal you are only 19, too young to decide what you are going to do with the rest off your life.