Prompt: It is becoming increasingly popular to have a year off between finishing school and going to university. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?

There has been a considerable increase in the number of graduated students choosing to take a gap year. In my opinion, this matter has both pros and cons and my essay will throughly illustrate the points. Ċ To begin with, taking a gap year can unexpectedly have positive impacts on students' skills and experience. Many teenagers do not truly understand their ownselves and have no clue of what they have interest in or what they want to do. Therefore, having some time off before attending higher education systems can encourage students to have a deeper insight into their dreams and hobbies so that they can be well-prepared for their futures. Secondly, this year off will be such precious time for teenagers to explore the world and gain more experience by themselves. For example, working as a part-time employee, learn a new skill or travel to a few new nations will broaden students' knowledge and create more new aspects of life. Indeed, going for a gap year is beneficial for students in many ways. Ċ On the contrary, the period of a year off could counteract if it is not spent wisely. In other words, a huge number of students lost their motivation in working and studying after a few months from graduation. If they can not pull themselves together during this gap year, students will not gain any benefits from this time. More seriously, they can waste all those time in losing track of their original plans and goals. Ċ In conclusion, taking a gap year has both advantages and disadvantages so that students should consider throughly whether they should opt for this decision or not.