<p>You could try to plan a good year off. You may change your mind over the next few weeks. A year off can be great. However, you can also end up in a boring job, isolated from your peers who are all off at college. Many people have those feelings late senior year and even into freshman year- but most just go to college. Good luck.</p>
<p>Hansel, the bottom line is that whether you choose college or a gap year, people want to support your doing something with your life, and not just moping around because you are in an "emotional funk" at the moment.</p>
<p>Hansel,</p>
<p>What you're feeling isn't that uncommon; most college kids feel "disillusioned" at one point or another - sometimes markedly so. Right now, I am very much in the same boat as you. </p>
<p>I am presently taking a semester off from Pepperdine (my parents' business went under and we've had to move, sell a bunch of crap, including my beloved black lab) and last semester burned me out quite a bit. My health took a major hit and I was sick all the time last semester. Mentally, I wasn't as quick as I used to be and emotionally, I was just lagging.</p>
<p>Basically, I told myself I was taking a break from school. The time off has given me some time to consider other schools (Pepperdine is cool but I don't feel fully alive there) so I have applied to USC and University of San Diego.</p>
<p>I am simply repeating what others' have said, but I believe it's good advice: take it easy for a month or so, give yourself time to get back on track. Also, pick a college/university. Don't let your current state affect the college you choose - choose with the idea that you're going to be your old self (motivated, happy, energetic) when you enter school. If you're still not feeling "up to it" by the time May 1 rolls around, deferring would be a great idea - just make sure you notify the college and fill out all necessary paperwork and ascertain your financial aid will be intact when you return. </p>
<p>If you're worried about what others may think of you - honestly, try to let it go. I struggled with the same thing, but the fact is life isn't scripted - **** happens and you always try to do what's best for you. Whatever your decision, make sure you're satisfied with it and it's for the best. </p>
<p>Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>Hansel, I think our feelings speak truth to us,& you have some strong feelings right now. I think you could choose either hazmat's or lilybloom's suggestions & do so comfortably. There's also wisdom & experience in what the other students are saying on this thread about the senior syndrome, but it may very well be that the most natural thing for you to do would be not to go through the admissions motions half-heartedly. At the very least, it might be good to apply only to those colleges you can right now get excited about (if any). Generally, the applications aren't the best when the desire is not behind them.</p>
<p>If you could find a handful that you can spend sincere effort on, it could be good to get an acceptance & then defer. What would be the harm in that? If, during a deferral year, you decided on different college preferences than the ones you'd been accepted to, you would still have that gap opportunity to add in other institutions during that year.</p>
<p>The one thing others have said that I am squarely behind is that a plan of action for a possible year off is really important: it could be nonacademic activity, but it should be purposeful.</p>
<p>I enrolled in a language program at a French university, paid a deposit at a boarding house for girls, and bought a plane ticket :D</p>
<p>Why don't you wait until the admissions decisions come in, and then decide if you want to defer enrollment for a year. Taking a gap year is the norm in much of Europe, and more people are doing it here.</p>
<p>i had the same dilemma as well until i was left with no other decision but to take a gap year.</p>
<p>prior to this though, i had seriously thought about it and wondered if i should go through it or not. the only thing that really stopped me from saying yeah, this is what i'm going to do, was of course the resulting backlash from people i knew. </p>
<p>unlike students in europe, there's still a stigma here in canada, and for that matter, north america, that once you finish high school, you're 'supposed' to go to college right away. people who take gap years are those who don't want to, are bums, etc.</p>
<p>but i liked that idea, of going away for a year, taking a break after 12 long years in the school system. possibly experience another culture. and well, because of circumstances, i will be doing that next year and i've never been happier.</p>
<p>i was talking to my guidance counsellour and she told me that i should take a gap year. she told me that when you're 30, does it really matter that you took a gap year? no. </p>
<p>if you're not ready for college or feel that way, why rush it? you have your whole life ahead of you, don't feel the need to conform to what everybody else is doing if you yourself don't feel like doing it.</p>
<p>do it for yourself and not for others. </p>
<p>good luck with your decision. i know it's a difficult one.</p>
<p>Silverpetal:
thanks for the advice!
What did you end up doing/ planning for your gap year?</p>