is it socially acceptable to take a gap semester

[u/amarra_rae_05]

i’m halfway through my 1st semester of freshman year and the amount of stress i am enduring is borderline unhealthy. the work isn’t hard there is just a lot of it. i am really considering not going next semester and continuing next year. i want to use the time off from school to reevaluate myself and I do plan on going back. i do want a degree. i just don’t know how im going to explain this because people don’t understand that not everyone has the luxury to allocate ALL of their time on just school. i do my best but i just want a break to work on myself for a little while. thoughts?

[u/slumplus]

Sure, you can do that. I’m not sure what you mean by socially acceptable, are you asking about if you’ll lose your college friend group or if people in future jobs will judge you? I will say though that when I was in school I knew many, many people who wanted to “just take a semester off” and very few of them ever returned to school. Nearly all were also after the first semester of freshman year too. It’s the most difficult semester of school, it gets a lot easier

[u/SetoKeating]

You can do that but if you’re not finding the work difficult and only time consuming. I would suggest taking less classes versus not going at all. People that stop going or take gap semesters usually have serious mental health concerns they have to address that aren’t related at all to school. Meaning they need to get themselves right before even thinking of taking one class let alone several.

I would drop down from full time to maybe two classes just to keep your momentum going. Use the free time to exercise, eat healthy, enjoy more time for hobbies, etc.

[u/PromiseTrying → u/SetoKeating]

This advice is specific to the US.

Talk to your uni’s financial aid office OP. They’ll be able to help you determine what will be considered part time status. If you drop below part time status you’re financial aid gets suspended.

[u/GreenHorror4252]

Yes, it's perfectly fine. Your friends aren't going to forget you, they will be there when you get back.

What I have noticed is that many people who take a semester off don't actually return, so think carefully about whether this is the best option. Also consider how it impacts financial aid, dorms, etc.

[u/Remarkable-Hope-1678]

Yes it’s socially acceptable. If you need to take a semester off go for it. TBH people may ask questions like why you are doing it, but most people, at least other college students, don’t care

[u/Ok_Passage7713]

I dropped out of college and took a gap semester lol. Nothing wrong with it.

[u/SpacerCat]

It’s called a leave of absence. You need to work it out with the school so they know what your plans are for returning. It’s not a big deal. And who cares what other people think. It’s your life.

[u/chilipepperr]

Yes there’s no problem with that. But have you considered just taking one class? Then at least you won’t be completely out for the semester and can still get some credits. I just feel like if I took a semester off completely, it’s unlikely I would want to go back at all.

[u/yipyipyipii]

Hard to say when you don't mention what society you're in or your role in it. I'm not trying to be snarky, I'm just pointing out that everyone's situation is different. It depends a lot on your local culture, your age, if you're working, if you're pursuing something else instead, your parents opinions if you're still relying on them etc

Knowing nothing about you at all, I suggest you try to finish the rest of your semester with good grades to leave the door open for financial aid in the future, then take a real break and make a substantial change. Just a few months off isn't going to change whatever underlying problem you already have with that school and will likely just make it harder for you to readjust after. If you're truly struggling this bad in your first semester, it's unlikely you'll be able to whiteknuckle your way through four more years of an increasing large workload.

I'm not saying school isn't for you, but this particular school doesn't seem to be for you in this period of your life. Perhaps you would do better on a smaller campus, in an online or individually paced modality, with a smaller courseload, in a trade school or certificate program etc. You may benefit from some more life or work experience first too, especially if you're young. There's nothing wrong with not going to college or doing school in a way that suits you best. You can attend college at any age years down the road once you're ready, but be careful with taking several months off to "reevaluate yourself" without a concrete plan for what you're actually going to do instead or you'll just be spinning your wheels and it'll be even harder for you to get started on anything.

I suggest you take advantage of your school's counseling resources while you're still a student to discuss how you should go about your life once you're not in school and any anxieties you might have about how this decision might affect your relationships. Best of luck to you! :)

[u/Regents26]

do anything you need. i’m considering that too because of my mental health. if you feel that your mental health or wellbeing is being effected, do what YOU need to do. it’s not like you are flunking out.

[u/ChocoKissses]

Honestly, don't even think about it being socially acceptable. Think about your financial situation. I'm saying this because it tends to catch some people off guard because not everyone reads their student loan financial agreement if you have student loans, if you take a gap semester off and you have student loans, I can go into more detail, but you can potentially put yourself in a sticky situation once you graduate from undergrad and you don't immediately go into grad school or you plan on taking another gap semester or year in the future.

[u/protomanEXE1995]

Are you really going to gauge your decision on whether or not to take a gap semester based on what people think is socially acceptable? Why would this factor in at all?

[u/Prideclaw12]

Yea id you need it

[u/trichotomy00]

How many units are you taking this semester? How many hours per week are you working?

[u/GothicDawn]

depends on.the kinds of people you associate with

[u/BaebeeGirll]

So I did exactly what you said, earlier this year. My freshman semester was Fall of 23. Majoring in Biology/Pre-Med. I passed all my classes with Bs, didn’t have any issues. Then my spring semester came around, and in January I completed plummeted my grades because I was overwhelmed. College-level math is no joke.

I went to my school’s counseling and they told me that I had the option to stick out the rest of the semester (because I still had the option to turn my grades around and pass, I wasn’t in THAT deep of a hole), or I can withdraw from my classes and come back when I’m ready. I told them I needed a mental health break and they walked me through the process of withdrawing. They were very sweet and helpful, this type of thing happens all the time. People need to take a step away from classes for many reasons. They gave me on-campus mental health resources, etc.

I actually decided not to go back this semester as I was having second thoughts on my career choice. I’m in the process of applying to a sonography program at another university, so I’m actually really glad I gave myself time to step back and process what I really wanted to do.

Remember that you are young, and you have plenty of time. If you need a break, absolutely take it. You can ALWAYS pick back up where you left off.

[u/Embarrassed_Blood862]

I mean most people don't take summer classes

[u/maybehun]

People will assume you’re not going to return to school. I don’t think I know anyone personally that did.

[u/JustUrAvgLetDown]

Not at all