By Lexi Gallagher | Observer Contributor
Studies show that approximately 40% of college students do not complete college within six years. Many students take breaks, change paths, take a gap year, or otherwise decide to take time away from pursuing higher education.
Mount Wachusett Community College student Destiny Grimes, along with many other students across America, decided to put her education on pause for a handful of reasons. “I took a break after the winter semester when my grandmother passed away because it was really hard on my mom,” said Grimes. “I wanted to give my mom the time and space to grieve, so I started working full-time to help support and take care of our family.”
Many factors cause students to take breaks. “College is a great opportunity to get a head start in whatever career you choose, meet new people, and learn a lot about the world. However, the cost is the biggest downfall for someone that struggles financially,” said Grimes. “As much as you may love to further your education, college classes and materials are expensive–not to mention the time and energy it takes to manage school, work, health, and a social life.”
Ashley Fletcher, a part time Academic Counselor in the Office of Advising, Career, & Transfer at the Mount, says it is common for students to take these breaks for many reasons. “From my thirteen years in the field, it is not an uncommon practice for a student to need to take a break due to unforeseen life events or major transitions. These breaks can be as short as a semester, or as long as 5 or 10 years.” said Fletcher.
But with that said, most cases Fletcher has seen have been goal oriented. “Most students who take a break are doing so because it is necessary and want to continue achieving their goal,” said Fletcher.
Fletcher herself did not always have her exact plan and found herself taking a year off after her bachelors’ program. “I was a first-generation student, so working in a college environment was an unknown concept to me,” she shared. “I took a year off between my Bachelors and Masters to work in the field before I found myself missing the energy and mentorship of the college environment. Then I decided to pursue my master’s degree.”
Journalism Professor at MWCC, Katie Fuller, also found herself changing paths–and doing so often. “I thought I might become a lawyer after my undergraduate, but two years as a paralegal showed me I was not really into office work or the 9-5 lifestyle,” said Fuller. But a hiatus was the thing she needed to put her on the right path. “The best thing I did was take a professor’s advice about taking a break after my undergraduate. I took time off for five years before going to graduate school. In some ways that time felt like another kind of education all its own,” she said.
Fuller believes that breaks are okay and that you can still make it a point to learn and grow. “Remember one day you might feel grateful for what you perceived as a failure or things not going the way you want. It is during those times we learn the most about ourselves,” she said.
But both Fuller and Fletcher believe that taking a break means planning for it, too. “Prioritize what it is you need during that time. Whether it is mental health help, rest, a job, time to think,” said Fuller. “Make a plan for it.”
Fletcher echoed the importance of a pre-break game plan for students, stating, “The key is
for a student to have a stronger game plan in place for when they return.” This plan should include check-ins, a timeline, and milestones. It offers support and helps students reengage with their academic journey. Fletcher acknowledged the uniqueness of each student’s path, however, saying, “Everyone’s journey looks different.”
And Grimes acknowledges the struggles of her position and how she has the ambition to overcome these struggles and choose herself over everything else. “It will be hard, but I do plan on going back to college as soon as possible in order to start focusing more on my own dreams and ambitions,” said Grimes. “I need to do this for myself.”
But the key thing that student Grimes, Professor Fuller, and Academic Counselor Fletcher can all agree on is that breaks are okay, and being a person who knows what they need and has the ambition to make a plan before they continue is something to be proud of.
“Don’t feel bad if you do not excel in the ways society intuits you should. It is better to do well at less than mediocre at a lot. And remember: have self-compassion,” urged Fuller. “You are not your setbacks.”
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