Prompt: In some countries young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university studies. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this.

In various nations around the world, many people advocate that a gap year should be taken by the students to work or travel, before starting their tertiary education. Although this offers few benefits to the students, it also has some drawbacks to be considered. Ċ There are two main advantages of travelling or working before enrolling for higher education. Firstly, when a student travels around the different regions of the globe, he is exposed to various cultures and customs, which helps in expanding one’s horizons. Furthermore, it is an opportunity for an individual to gain the knowledge of how to get mixed with the multi-cultural environment that would help to get adjusted to a university campus environment. In addition, students who work will learn to appreciate the value of the money as they realize the hard work involved in earning it, for example, after my first job I think before purchasing anything they desire and has become less impulsive in their spendings which was not the case before. Ċ On the other hand, there are a few negative points to be noted. In the first place, it may be a cause of homesickness to many students who have never been away from their parents and in extreme conditions, it may lead to depression and anxiety. Additionally, students who work may never return to education because of enjoying the money earned and being financially independent. However, it is highly important to acquire a degree to be eligible in the competitive job market, thus it can ruin the future of a student. For instance, one of my friends who was brilliant in academics joined a call centre just after high school and left his studies due to which he still is in the same field getting a limited salary. Ċ In conclusion, being in a work or exploring the world before being inside the premises of a university is advantageous in terms of gaining a deeper understanding of this world and valuing the efforts for meeting ends. Conversely, earning money could be fatal for the career of a student, and travelling may have debilitating effects on one’s phycology.