<p>I have good stats, I participate in activities that I'm passionate about, and I'm ready to be done with high school. Except, I don't feel ready to go off to college. Right now, I'm the age of the average college freshman, so if things had happened differently I could have been starting college right now. However, the thought of college makes me stressed (and even the thought of senior year). I think I'm ready for a break from all of this.</p>
<p>Based on my feelings, I think that I might be a perfect candidate for a gap year. However, if I do take a gap year, when I start freshman year I'll be two years older than the average freshman without having accomplished anything and I can't be sure I'll feel any more ready for four years of college.</p>
<p>I guess that whatever path I choose, I first need to apply to colleges, but I have this sense of dread about the future and I'm not sure what to do. How can I make myself feel excited about the future when I have so much anxiety? Any advice?</p>
<p>What does ‘ready’ mean to you? I’m not understanding what there is to be anxious about, can you be more specific?</p>
<p>Not doing well, not making friends, being lonely. I have general anxiety about a lot of things. I don’t really think I’m ready for the responsibility of living independently.</p>
<p>I think knowing what you are so nervous about, or don’t feel you’re ready for, would also help.</p>
<p>There are a variety of things that you can do if you don’t feel ready. There’s nothing wrong with taking a gap year. But the question is, what are you going to do during that gap year? And if you’re ready for whatever that is, then why are you ready for that and not college? (There are very valid answers to that question, but I think you need to reflect on them before you decide to take one.)</p>
<p>If you feel anxious about living away from your family, know that most college freshman do at least a little bit, but most of them adjust fine. There’s also the option of going to a college close to home and commuting.</p>
<p>If you are feeling stressed out because of pressure (external or internal) to go to a prestigious college, just relax a little and do some planning. Put some of those top colleges on the list to make whoever else happy, but also put some match and safety schools on there too, and spend some time getting to know them and really falling in love with a range of schools.</p>
<p>If you’re worried because you feel like you haven’t figured out your life yet…you’re not supposed to have. You’re only 18 or 19 years old, you’ve got a lot of living to do.</p>
<p>You’re going to be one year older next year regardless of what you choose to do. Don’t worry about being a little older than the other students - there are people who go back to school much later. I sometimes teach them in my classes. They are typically more focused and serious than the traditional-aged students, because they 1) have already done something that they are really passionate about and worked, so they know what the real world is like and have kind of gotten whatever they wanted out of their system and 2) they are older, so they have experience working on a regular schedule and apply that here, too.</p>
<p>You’re feeling perfectly normal things. When the time comes, and you get your acceptance letter, visit the college, and feel those “I-know-this-is-a-college-for-me” feelings, then you’ll know what to do! Good luck!</p>
<p>I’ve never responded to stress well and for whatever reason, I’ve never adapted to be able to handle stress, so I don’t know how I’ll be able to handle college.</p>
<p>First, you won’t be going off to college for another entire year. So you have to do your applications now so that you will have things in place if you decide to go. Many schools will let you defer admission for a year, if you feel you need to, so don’t have to go for another year if you don’t want. Yes you will be a couple years older and you will just have to deal with that. </p>
<p>If you take a gap year you will have the same issues with making friends and being lonely, won’t you? If you take a gap year without being accepted to a college, you’d need to do something productive with it and make yourself continue to look like an attractive candidate. What are your local options for school and commute from home, any? What are your options for a school you can live at but still has relatively easy access home for occasional weekends and your holidays? Put some of those in the mix along with away schools so you have choices next spring.</p>
<p>Going to college is a pretty soft way to live independently. You are usually in a dorm with a meal plan so there is minimal stuff you have to do except your laundry.</p>
<p>Class should be more interesting because you will have so many more choices open to you.</p>
<p>Go to your doctor to be screened for anxiety disorder and depression. If that is the root of all this, you want to take care of it and improve your life.</p>