• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
College Magazine logo

College Magazine

College Life, Dating, Career & Campus Advice

  • Colleges
    • College Guides
    • College Rankings
    • Campus Life
      • Academics
      • Dating
      • Freshman Year
      • Health
      • Social Change
      • Party
    • Find Your College
  • Majors
    • All Majors
    • Most Popular Majors
    • Choosing a Major
  • Intern
    • Internship Directory
    • How to Get an Internship
    • How to Write a Resume
    • How to Write a Cover Letter
    • How to Interview
    • How to Network
    • Career 101
    • Find Your Passion Career
  • Money
    • How to Make Money
    • How to Save Money
    • How to Get a Job
    • Credit Cards 101
    • FAFSA
    • Ramen Project
  • Travel
    • Study Abroad
    • College Spring Break
    • How to Travel Cheap
    • Things to Do
  • Shop
    • College Magazine Shop
    • Gift Guides
    • College Packing List
Home » Latest Posts » I Took A Semester Leave from University and It’s The Best Decision Ever
Life

I Took A Semester Leave from University and It’s The Best Decision Ever

FacebookTweet
Moon Gee May 3, 2018

I only had 2 more papers left in the whole semester before I decided I had enough. I was nearing a mental breakdown and the pain was too much to explain to my peers and family. I used to be a go-getter and the cream of the crop throughout my academic life, I thought to myself, but look at what I have gotten myself into.

Loser. Yes, I felt like a loser who lost track of herself, all my dreams and motivations down the drain. This may sound like I was being overly dramatic, but I am sure that any other analogies would not do the horrible feeling I had about my own worth justice.

The day when I broke down and cried while talking to my parents still felt real like it just happened yesterday. Being the good and supportive parents they are, they drove down the next day and brought me out for lunch. The entire car ride was silent and suffocating.

No one even dared to breathe until my mom popped the question, “What is your next move?”

What is my next move? This was the very first time I felt completely speechless.

After pondering for a while, I realized that I do not have an answer because I am unsure of what I should do. I didn’t want to withdraw from my university because my parents did their best to support my education. Walking away completely would directly bruise my pride as I would leave behind all my past credentials and hard work to get this far.

The only option left? Taking a semester off from my university to get myself sorted out and then hit the road again once I am ready.


trending

107

How Graduation is Causing Me a (Good) Existential Crisis

Gretchen Rubin, author of Life in Five Sense
96

Awaken Your Five Senses with #1 NYTs Bestselling Author Gretchen Rubin

77

Adulting with Your Mom Is Fun


What if I told you that taking a semester off from my university was the most adventurous and enriching part of my life? It’s true. I was never an adventurous soul. I am never one to ever step out of my comfort zone despite how much I desire to. Often I find myself envying those who constantly stray from the norms and never allow anyone to dictate their path. It’s really refreshing to be able to go with your heart and it takes a lot of courage and inner strength to do.

I am currently interning as a technical writer in a software solutions company which allows me to realize where my passion lies and the type of environment best suited for my learning and growth. I get the chance to put myself first, get my priorities right and re-evaluate myself properly.

When you constantly juggle with attending lecture classes, tackling endless assignments and handling group projects, you would eventually lose track of yourself and what it is really important: your current state of mind. No matter how stressful education can get, you should not consistently feel that you are on the verge on a mental breakdown.

Taking a break does not mean the same thing as escaping or running away from your problems, though many people would say so. I have received countless comments about how I should not take a break and instead just suck it up. However, those commenters forget that everyone’s situation varies in ways they might never understand. I’ve stuck with my own decision and tried not to let these uninformed opinions affect me.

In all honesty, though, one opinion from one of my bosses did get to me. Ultimately though, I took the comment as a challenge. I faced a hard time in my company initially due to the lack of experience and technical knowledge. I was even chided once, “Are you sure you didn’t learn all those in Uni?” It hit me hard that I may not be as adequate as I originally perceived and in their eyes. I was not fulfilling expectations. That comment criticized me most where I would have criticized myself.

However, I remember all my motivations and intended outcomes from this internship. If I want to get anything done, I need to keep pushing forward and against all odds, without second guessing myself. Would I ever regret this decision? Definitely not. I would choose this route all over again.

About Moon Gee

Q&A with ASCEND app Creators Sydney Campos and David Richeson

How a Last-Minute Gap Semester Changed My Life

Is Online Learning Right for You?

10 Things All International Students Understand

5 Pre-Finals Rituals to Follow for Optimum Study Time

Life Lessons I Learned in Fitness Classes

A Dream Deferred

So I Moved Back Home After Graduation…

I Adopted a Kitten During Midterms and Here’s How That Went

Previous Post:The Ultimate Guide to Getting a Nose Piercing
Next Post:10 Things to Add to Your Study Abroad Packing List And 10 Things to Leave Behind

colleges

  • College Guides
  • College Rankings
  • Campus life
  • Academics
  • Dating
  • Freshmen Year
  • Health
  • Party

majors

  • All College Majors
  • Most Popular Majors
  • Choosing a Major

intern

  • Internships Directory
  • How to Write a Resume
  • How to Write a Cover Letter
  • How to Interview
  • How to Get an Internship
  • How to Network

money

  • How to Make Money
  • How to Save Money
  • How to Get a Job
  • Credit Cards 101
  • College Loans

travel

  • Study Abroad
  • College Spring Break
  • How to Travel Cheap
  • Things to Do

shop

  • College Packing List
  • Gift Guides
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed
  • Twitter
  • About Us
  • Team
  • Write
  • Apply
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sign Up
  • Advertise
  • My Account
  • Cart

College Magazine logo

Copyright © 2023 Powered by BizBudding