Would Taking an Academic Break Be a Good Option for You?
To some students, the delay of earning their long-awaited degree is enough to keep them on track, while others’ road to a bachelor’s is not always so linear
Higher education has long been seen as a privilege, with the cost of tuition and relocation originally only accessible to those whose families earn enough to support the cost of pursuing a professional career. However, resources like the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, better known as the FAFSA, which offers financial assistance in the form of grants and loans, plus the abundance of scholarships offered to groups of marginalized and under-represented groups, the dream of attending colleges and universities has since become more attainable.
The transition from in-person, public university classes and lecture halls, which were typically waitlisted due to the overwhelming amount of students hoping to participate, to virtual, Zoom class meetings has significantly impacted the number of enrolled students at these universities. In a study reported by a Poynter article on Sept. 18, “16 million Americans have canceled plans to go to college,” with a 5% decrease in community college enrollment for the fall semester of 2020, as well, which only seems to be increasing with the second wave of Coronavirus cases on the rise.
While many college and university students are actively participating in online courses this semester, a break from studying at such pressure-driven and uncertain times seems like the natural step for those who have difficulty balancing schoolwork, part-time or full-time jobs, family and home life, plus the new challenges that arise with social distancing and statewide guidelines.
Aside from these newly imposed challenges, the usual obstacles of losing interest and motivation in college after 12 straight years of education has led some students to take longer breaks than anticipated.
University of Kentucky graduate Diana, who asked to remain anonymous due to potential career opportunities which may arise in her field of “community and leadership development,” took two separate breaks during her collegiate career.
When she graduated from high school in Massachusetts, she didn’t think twice before heading straight to college right after. “I was never like, ‘Oh, I don’t want to go,’ but I feel like I never really questioned what I was going to school for or why I was going to school,” she said, adding that earning a degree was just expected by her college educated parents, who each have a degree of their own.
Diana set her sights on the University of Kentucky, also referred to as UK, which is home to one of the few Equine programs in the country. Growing up riding horses, it “felt like the natural next step” at the time, and she made a career choice she thought was the right decision.
Unfortunately, her first year at university did not feel as comfortable as she’d hoped. Diana quickly lost focus and interest in her major. After skipping out on classes, assignments and projects for two full semesters, she found herself on academic suspension after one year in college.
“I was a little bit lost on what I wanted to do for my future. I felt like I was a very small fish in a big pond,” she said.
During her suspension in 2012, she spent the winter in Florida as a “working student,” where she interned in her aspired field. Spending a year in this type of environment, however, helped her decide she definitely did not want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the Equine industry. When she returned to UK in 2013, she “still didn’t do well” and was placed back on academic suspension for another semester.
“It was never going to be successful because I really had no idea what I wanted to be doing at that point,” Diana said.
After being suspended for the second time, she stayed local, living in the proximity of campus where she did some “soul searching” and extended her break for another couple of years in the process. In 2016, she enrolled in community college at Bluegrass Community & Technical College in Lexington, Kent., motivated by the feeling of “not totally being in the loop” in her community around the university.
Vanessa L. Martinez, graduation and retention advising specialist at California State University, Northridge, says that this is a common strategy voluntarily taken by some university students who have fallen behind. Regardless of the student’s decision to stay or take an academic leave, Martinez suggests crafting a plan of action to avoid extending the academic break indefinitely.
“We always discuss a plan, like what are they going to do, how much they are taking off, and when do they plan to return,” she said, allowing students to take control of their education depending on their own situation.
“I did like the school. I liked the environment. I liked the location and all of that. I felt like I had a community that I kind of built there, so I didn’t consider transferring. I definitely wanted to go back to UK the whole time,” Diana said.
“I have had students where they’re struggling academically, and they want to take the time off. They’ll go to a community college to improve their GPA and they’ll come back after that,” Martinez said.
Other reasons, like financial responsibilities, mental health concerns, life and family situations, plus the added academic pressures to achieve, remain among the most common reasons for students deciding to take a break from college. During the pandemic, Martinez said that she has seen an increase in students seeking virtual advisement than she ever did when campus was open
Following success at junior college, Diana saw herself at the University of Kentucky readmissions office once more. On the last day of open registration, a team of counselors and advisors successfully enrolled her in classes for the spring 2017 semester, a moment she remembers years after graduating.
“The people in the readmission office were amazing. They didn’t make you feel ashamed for being there or anything, or you were a failure or anything like that. They were really welcoming and supported and helped me every step of the way,” she said.
Asking for the right help in college is something Diana struggled with during her first semesters at UK. She now recognizes that admitting her lack of focus earlier could have prevented the delay in getting her career started.
“I just kind of let it all fall apart, and that was something that I had to, kind of, get over the pride and ask for help. I had to admit that I screwed this up, now how do I fix it,” she said.
“It might help if they had mentorship along the way. The importance of having someone guide them, of which classes they need, what they need to do continue and just the whole process might make it so that even when times are difficult, they could have someone to ask questions,” Martinez said.
She went on to explain that utilizing resources provided by the university from the start could help students stay on track in the long run. “I like them to connect so they have somebody [who can hold them] accountable, too,” she said.
Changing her major to community and leadership development with a minor in kinesiology after discovering her passion for college football, Diana finally found a community where she felt at ease, with peers encouraging her to pursue a career as a Division I college football coach. She powered through her last few semesters with the assistance of her advisors and professors, even landing an internship with Georgetown as part of the coaching staff in 2018.
“Having a personal relationship with all of the professors, you know. Going and talking to them at office hours and things like that, and not just being in giant lectures made a huge different for me,” she said.
Since earning her bachelor’s degree in December 2018, Diana has been attending and networking at conferences and seminars where she takes pride in being the only woman in a room of 300 male football coaches. She aspires to reach the level of a Division I football coach for a smaller organization, where she can influence college athletes in a more direct way.
“Every step of the way, I felt like I had that support and that really helped me ask for help and feel like it was there and available,” she said.
Since reconnecting with herself and finding a career she is passionate about, Diana is currently pursuing graduate admission into the University of North Carolina. While the six years it took her to earn her degree from the University of Kentucky had their ups and downs, she advises to take the time away from academics, even if it’s just a thought.
“If you are contemplating it, take the time off,” she said, reflecting on her result after returning for good. “I never had a day once I went back where I was like, ‘Hmm, I wonder what would happen if I wasn’t here?’ I was just glad to be back.”
