My Gap Year; Simple, Just How I Need It. by Seth

My Gap Year; Simple, Just How I Need It. by Seth - August 2019 Scholarship Essay

Until I began to tread deeply on the prompt of this essay, a gap year was never included in my college endeavors. The busy lifestyle I’ve had to pick up as a student has ingrained the “Go, go, go” mentality into me, so much so that until I started to ponder on the benefits it may have, the idea of not finishing school as quickly as possible was almost guilt inducing. Other students and myself have learned to turn off certain health and emotional needs for so long, that we forget we can take a break. What each student would do with a gap year is different, but regarding how I’d make the most of mine, I would reabsorb myself into old hobbies, and live frugally to save for the upcoming school year.
Nostalgia is one of the most relaxing feelings to experience, hence why I chose reabsorbing myself into old hobbies to be a main factor in making a gap year the best it could be. The first of these retired hobbies, despite a severe lack in skill, is drawing. Sitting down every couple nights and just putting whatever image pops into my head on paper is the type of free expression I would love to put that much free time towards. Similarly, I would pick up writing, which I spent much of my time on throughout middle school. When I did these two things while I was younger, it was because it was a natural and unspoken way connect more deeply to my thoughts and emotions. If I were to restart them now, It would be the same, but coupled with the same feeling of peace you experience when seeing an old friend for family member. This would be one of the best ways for me to decompress during my gap year, making the time spent away from school well worth my while.
The relaxation of a gap year, no matter how well spent, would mean nothing if I hopped back into the same stress I was dealing with beforehand. This is why during the gap year, I would save as much money as possible by living frugally. I would still allow myself to enjoy the little things such as a small vacation, eating out with friends, et cetera, but I would not allow myself irresponsible purchases. With the large amount of time currently spent at school, it is obvious that when that is lost, I could handle some extra hours working. The money I would be getting more than usual would be locked safe away from even my own temptations as to not let myself ruin the upcoming school year. I try to get as many scholarships as I possibly can, but with the cheapest of schools still charging thousands of dollars a semester and rising, I will not be able to pay it with scholarships alone. It can be overbearing for many students, so most end up taking out student loans; I would like to avoid this at all costs, and a gap year would be the most perfect opportunity to allow this for myself.
It may sound like a boring way to spend a gap year, but for me, it would be perfect. The stress of student life has me wanting to do nothing more than lay down for a while, albeit a year is a long time for that, so I would continue to work hard at my job and all other things I was doing within the long break. My peers and I are utterly exhausted, and crave how things used to be before we had to drop what we love for what needs to be done to succeed. The best way for me to do this it to start drawing and writing again. This wouldn’t mean I lose all sense of responsibility, though. I would also save for my next school year, protecting my status as a debt free individual. The best way for me to make the most of my gap year is simple, but simple is all I need.