Why Taking a Gap Year Was the Best Decision I've Ever Made

I graduated from high school in 2011 and took the following year off before starting university. Taking an intentional gap year was by far the best, most life-changing decision I have ever made and it has continued to benefit me to this day. Gap years have traditionally been more common in places such as Europe and Australia, for example approximately 50 percent of students take a year off before starting college in countries such as Norway, Denmark, and Turkey (1). However recently, gap years have been growing in popularity in the U.S. too (2). Now that I have finished my second year in university, I am realizing more and more how beneficial a gap year was to myself, and how many more students would have, and still can, benefit from taking a year off. 

I don’t want to assume taking a gap year is right for everyone, but I do think more students should keep it open as an option and realize the many benefits it has to offer. So, here's why taking a gap year was the best decision I've ever made:

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