Finished my gap year now, but I'm not going on to university???!

Ilovemycat

Hi! So I've just turned 18, I'm in the middle of gap year (well, come this September I'll be finished my gap year.). Originally I was going (I'd deferred) to university, but now I'm sure that I don't want to do the course that I'd applied for and that there's definitely no other course I want to do... Anyways, I'm from rural ireland, and people'll hear that I've turned down an offer from a very prestigious uni, to what become a bum?? I'm so full sure that university isn't the answer to everything, and that there are other ways to be successful such as through apprenticeships, volunteering abroad for a while, loads of online courses, working in different jobs, building up your cv. So that being said, does anybody have any tips or advice on life after my gap year and where I should get started when I don't even know what i want to do career wise!!

Lux23

If I was you, I would still give college a go, what else are you going to do? The whole point of university and further learning is to learn who you are and find out what you want to do with your life. I think if you're going to turn down your college place then at least have a plan b.

spurious

You can always take another gap year. Go and volunteer under the EU scheme and see an area you might like to make a difference in.

Do not take up any college course just for the sake of it.

Nobody actually cares if you are 21, 23, 25 or 45 starting college.

SameHorse

I'd advise you not to go to college/uni unless you're sure about the course you'd be doing and the career/life path it would put you on.

there are hundreds of kids your age just going right after school because that's what they're coerced into doing by their parents and peer pressure perhaps...and they end up picking a course that their heart isn't in, as well as possibly going on the piss for the duration of the course thanks to the novelty of getting out from under mammy's apron strings .... and these people to which I refer, end up doing nothing related to their degree... and while a degree in and of itself might be useful in applying for jobs that are totally unrelated, it's generally not as much of a benefit as relevant experience.... so the time spent at uni was for nought, other than perhaps a good time. What happens next ? well you apply for work like anyone else who didn't go to uni - albeit a few years older than them and possibly with less experience. and quite likely you'll end up going back to uni later on in life anyway, though there's a good chance you'll have grant issues since you've already received funding and support for one spin on the 3rd level merry go round.


on the other hand, there's those that go to uni right after school - even those pressured by their aul' pair - and go on to do great things in their chosen field of study, even if they were unsure to begin with.


I know what I'd advise my kids to do though.


it's not worth stressing about either way.

imo/ymmv

SameHorse

btw, are we using the term 'gap year' in Ireland now ?