I’m one of the posters who made the comment re Harvard, and I did not mean to say that Harvard has no other students like her. But the dominant culture(s) at Harvard are not along those lines. Some students are happy with an iconoclastic lifestyle, and well able to seek out a very small cohort of like-minded thinkers — others have a much harder time doing that. </p>
<p>CC’ers spent a lot of time worrying about “fit” when their kids are applying to college… that’s because in the end, “fit” can be pretty important. Harvard can be a poor fit for many students, just like any other college can be a poor fit – and the dominant culture of a college also impacts its offerings.</p>
<p>I’m sorry that I’m resurrecting an old post, but I’m actually considering a semester off at my school. I just feel trapped and lost in college. I am not happy here and I just want to leave now. I understand that it might not be wise to take a semester off, but I want advice on how to break it to my parents. I’ve been paying my own tuition with financial aid and scholarships, so they can’t use money against me. I just need to explain to them that I want to take some time away to regroup and maybe find my passion. Life is so monotonous and boring here. </p>
<p>Can you give us more details on your situation – how many semesters and credits you’ve completed, whether you’ve picked a major and how you feel about it, whether you will lose your financial aid/scholarships if you take time off, whether loans will become due?</p>
<p>Most importantly, what career ideas do you have for yourself that you’re trying to choose between, and how do you plan to use the time off to answer your own questions and clarify for yourself what you want to do? Is it possible that you will need to transfer, to get a stronger program in your newly-chosen field, once you decide?</p>
<p>And you certainly don’t have to tell the people on this board, but you should consider for yourself – is it possible that school is not really the problem – could it be depression, anxiety, or heartbreak that has changed your feelings about school? If so, perhaps help is available.</p>
<p>trappedhere – feeling trapped is the worst, whether it’s at a college, or a job, or a relationship. I’m sorry – but it’s good you know you’re looking to make it better.</p>
<p>What you need is information and options. When you say “take a semester off” I assume you mean the Fall semester that’s just begun. Find out from your school what the penalty is to withdraw now and will they hold a spot for you to return in the Spring. Since you’re paying for it (which is commendable and impressive!) your parents’ input should really just be concern, support and advice.</p>
<p>Look around. Consider other schools. Maybe try and get a job (full or part time) in the field that appeals to you, and ask the people you work with where they went to school or how they prepared for their career.</p>
<p>Listen to your dissatisfaction. Don’t push your feelings under the rug. There is a way out. It will take time to find it, but you are not trapped.</p>
<p>My husband and I both took time off. Then we met at the university we went to after that. We both did way better the second time around. He graduated Magna Cum Laude. I didn’t, but I still did better than before. I think the time off did us some good.</p>
<p>Trapped:
Think you should follow your instincts, so long as you believe you are being honest with yourself about why you are unhappy with your current school. You sound like a mature and industrious young man as you have managed to finance your own education. It sounds to me like you are capable of making sound decisions that will affect your future. As a parent myself, my advice would be to just be honest with your parents, and have a plan for the time you intend to spend away from school. </p>
<p>I desperately wanted to take time off during college, but my parents who were underwriting my education would not hear of it. I wasn’t unhappy at my school per se, but did find life at a small LAC a snore after Sophomore year. I did take one year off between college and law school. I did some volunteer work and learned to sail. It was time that I felt was well spent - it re-charged my batteries for the next 3 years of school.</p>