Taking a leave of absence from college if not accepted to transfer school

Transfer Students
1

<p>I would like to just take a year, maybe a year-and-a-half off, to develop myself. </p>

<p>I go to a public university, am in the top 15 percent of my graduating class, and I'm pretty damn involved in college activities, but I just want a break so bad. And thinking about it, I can't see myself staying at my current school for more than another semester. I'm no longer interested in it. I applied to a school in California as a transfer, so if I'm accepted I'll HAPPILY continue my studies there, but if I don't, then what??</p>

<p>I've always been a great student, and I've had more than one professor tell me that I had a "beautiful mind" and everything, but I'd like some time to do other things. I went part time this semester to do just that (have a break from academics for once). But, it was far from it. On top of taking 10 credits, I'm involved in two university clubs and am second-in-command at my university's daily college newspaper. I also work in retail 15-30 hours a week.</p>

<p>My life is just so stressful. I want to do yoga because I heard that really relieves stress, but it's kinda hard to when someone is tryna text you every damn minute, and with all these other obligations. The only personal obligation I do that I WANT to is go to the gym, which I haven't been able to do in eight days!!! I just feel too many people know me, and people are always on me, and I have to do everything in such a small time frame. I feel far from an average college student, and that I have too much on my plate...I've felt like this for a little over a year now. I just want to go FARRR WEST where no one knows me, and become the person I really think I am (without others' expectations, etc). </p>

<p>I want to move away from my small, isolated state, to another school, something. I need a change. And, I feel like taking a break (for once in my life pleasee) would really help me. I want to focus on developing myself so that one day, I can develop and implement the passions I have for the future. My developing myself, I mean expand my horizons, work on myself, volunteer with the local Habitat for Humanity. </p>

<p>I won't be playing video games every day, or sleeping until 2 p.m. I will be working on myself. And a huge thing is...I DON'T want to live in my current state (RI) during this time off. </p>

<p>The problem is, my mom refuses it. I pay my tuition, but she tells me if I take a year off I will have to begin paying loans back. I'm responsible, but don't have the money or means to do that right now.</p>

<p>I just want your opinion on the subject. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>

Then it sounds like taking the year off the way you have in mind isn’t going to happen.</p>

<p>You know, I’d like to spend a few months lounging on the beach in the Caribbean. But there’s nobody that would pay my bills if I do so, and I don’t have the money to not work for a few months. So I don’t.</p>

<p>Just because there’s something we’d like to do, and even if we can link it to noble goals and aspirations, doesn’t mean that the world is obligated to give it to us. </p>

<p>You do, of course, have options. You can quit and take the year off and get a job. Part of the money goes to paying to support yourself, part to paying the loans back, what is left over (if any) is for fun. Jobs are hard to find these days, though. I suppose you could enlist, but the military is kinda dangerous these days and besides it doesn’t sound like it would really be your cup of tea.</p>

3

<p>Taking a year off is a good idea, but if you can’t handle your loans, it might be best if you wait until after college, when your loans are paid.</p>

<p>Other than that, I’m doing the same thing you mentioned- I’m applying to the two schools I’m interested in going to in the spring, and if I don’t get in, I’ll apply for a mission trip to South America. It’s something that I’m really interested in doing, and I’ve been contemplating taking a year off for awhile. </p>

<p>Military is a good idea too, like Mike suggested.</p>

4

<p>What kind of loans are we talking about here? I’m sorry, I’m a bit confused as to why beginning to pay them back is an impossible scenario. Also, @PRiNCESS, why would her loans be paid off after college? It seems to me she’s going to be in a pretty similar situation, albeit with more debt…</p>

5

<p>@francis, it’s becoming more and more popular, once you’ve got your student loans paid off, to save some money and take a year/a bit of time off to travel. I don’t mean that her loans are going to be paid off immediately, but eventually they will be.</p>

6

<p>Oh, I see. I was just confused before for me the “eventually” is likely to be like a decade…</p>