<p>My single greatest regret from my college years at my HYP-peer institution is that I did not follow my instincts and take a year off. I was burned out. I didn’t know what I was going to do with my life. I had a better social life than you describe, but I really, truly didn’t belong there right then.</p>
<p>However, I stayed and I powered through because of the financial aid situation. At that time, leaving would have risked my aid package. Aid packages are designed differently now, so that should not be a problem for you. For an accurate reading, stop by the financial aid office and ask them about it. They get this question all the time, and they will be able to explain your options.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about losing your work ethic! If you have it, you have it. And, truth be told, work ethics usually get better with age. When you are ready to head back to college, you will be fine.</p>
<p>Lastly, if you aren’t sure about your life direction, just that you are generally unhappy right now, make an appointment with a counselor at the health center. The people there have experience helping students sort out their lives, and surely at your institution they must be expert at dealing with the kind of crisis that you are facing.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best.</p>