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. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

After nine to twelve years of intense studying, it is reasonable for high school graduate students to take a break before stepping into university. Some people go travelling while some choose working. Taking a gap year has become a popular option among teenagers. However, if not considered thoroughly, the choice can be both positive and negative. Ċ In my country, most students are pressured by their parents to excel in school. They further their education because it is what everyone does. As a result, most of them skip classes and go partying throughout the four years of college without having a purpose of life. It is no doubt a waste of money and resource. Taking a gap year offers an opportunity to figure out their future plans. Furthermore, students can develop a sense of responsibility through working. Travel widens horizon and youngsters can learn to be independent. Ċ However, there are downsides that must be considered. At the delicate age of eighteen, young adults can easily go off track, perhaps by a job of decent salary, and never returning to their studies. Students might not be mature enough to decide what is best for them, and satisfied with the financial fulfillment they already have. Moreover, a year off could lead to the lost of interest in studying, which might lead to increased drop outs. Ċ There is no perfect answer to the question of whether taking a break between one educational phase and another is beneficial or detrimental. The important thing is to realize what the goals are and do anything necessary to achieve them.