# Taking a year off during undergrad - will people judge me?



## utterlyconfused (Aug 7, 2011)

Basically I'm taking a year off university to get my self sorted out, and become better prepared for when I go back next year. I've told a few of my friends (none of which have emailed me back yet), and now I'm afraid that they will judge me for it. I keep thinking that they'll talk behind my back and say that I've dropped out, or that I've been kicked out of school, none of which is true. I talked to my advisor and she said that it's fine, I'll just have to explain why I needed the year off. Now I'm worried if I made the right decision, or if I'll be able to face those people next year when I plan to go back to school.


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## Marakunda (Jun 7, 2011)

I can kinda relate, I took a years time off of high school cause I sorta wanted to sort myself out as well... But at the end of the day, it was a huge mistake, easily one of the worst decisions of my life so far. I highly recommend you don't do it, I'm now held back a year and schools starting soon and the anxiety is kicking in... It REALLY sucks.

I'm afraid people will recognize me and ask where I've been the past year....
Don't do it, just sort yourself out as your in school.

Best course of action, imo.


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## Lone Raccoon (Jun 5, 2011)

i think i Might have to do this too. but i am aging rapidly i don't want to be in college for the rest of my life...


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## Propaganda (Oct 26, 2010)

I am 28 and just starting a AS, so that's 10 years off. sigh.


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## obsidianavenger (Sep 1, 2011)

absolutely not. at least not if they are true friends. i was kicked out of school... 5-6 years ago? and at the time, no one treated my differently at all. they may have talked about me behind my back but theres no way to keep track of that lol. no one talked down to me or treated me like less of a person (which is kind of what i was expecting). they were all actually very encouraging... most people upon hearing the story would tell me "well you can always start again, everyone makes mistakes" etc. you should be fine. 

the way things are going now i'll probably be in school until i'm 30


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## Deadguy (Aug 19, 2011)

utterlyconfused said:


> Basically I'm taking a year off university to get my self sorted out, and become better prepared for when I go back next year. I've told a few of my friends (none of which have emailed me back yet), and now I'm afraid that they will judge me for it. I keep thinking that they'll talk behind my back and say that I've dropped out, or that I've been kicked out of school, none of which is true. I talked to my advisor and she said that it's fine, I'll just have to explain why I needed the year off. Now I'm worried if I made the right decision, or if I'll be able to face those people next year when I plan to go back to school.


As long as taking a year off helps you, then their opinions of you are inconsequential. People are inwardly focused by nature, anyway, as they are not focused on your actions or inactions. Even if their thoughts do drift to you, it only makes up a minutia of their daily thoughts. How often are you focused on the actions of others? Besides, if you are out of sight, more than likely you are out of mind.

The important thing to focus on is getting on the right track and making this year productive in terms of getting better. If I were you, I'd be more concerned about this year suddenly turning into two years....then three years....etc. A year off of school is a long time and I'd think about making just taking a semester off. What do your parents think about this? It's good that you had the courage to discuss this with your advisor, but make sure that if you do take a whole year off, to at least make yourself feel productive.


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