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Today, widespread social pressure to immediately go to college in conjunction with increasingly high expectations in a fast-moving world
如今，高中畢業后即刻升入大學這一普遍的社會壓力，加之快速發展的世界對學生越來越高的要求，
often causes students to completely overlook the possibility of taking a gap year.
往往導致學生完全忽略了選擇間隔年這一可能。
After all, if everyone you know is going to college in the fall, it seems silly to stay back a year, doesn't it?
畢竟，如果你認識的每個人都要在秋季步入大學，你一個人休息一年似乎很傻，不是嗎？
And after going to school for 12 years, it doesn't feel natural to spend a year doing something that isn't academic.
并且在經歷十二年的求學路程之后，花一年時間做學習之外的事也會讓人覺得不正常。
But while this may be true, it's not a good enough reason to condemn gap years.
但是即使這些都成立，也不足以成為譴責間隔年的理由。
There's always a constant fear of falling behind everyone else on the socially perpetuated "race to the finish line,"
社會上永久延續著一場“向終點沖刺的比賽”，
whether that be toward graduate school, medical school or lucrative career.
無論終點是研究生院、醫學院還是賺錢的職業，人們總有一種落后于別人的擔憂。
But despite common misconceptions, a gap year does not hinder the success of academic pursuits—in fact, it probably enhances it.
但是盡管存在著一些普遍的誤解，間隔年并不會阻礙學業追求上的成功——實際上，它很可能助人成功。
Studies from the United States and Australia show that
美國和澳洲的研究表明，
students who take a gap year are generally better prepared for and perform better in college than those who do not.
經歷過間隔年的學生通常比未經歷過間隔年的學生對大學生活有更充分的準備，在校的表現也更好。
Rather than pulling students back,
間隔年不僅不會拖學生們后腿，
a gap year pushes them ahead by preparing them for independence, new responsibilities and environmental changes,
它還會通過培養學生們的獨立性、全新的責任感和適應環境變化來幫助他們前行，
all things that first-year students often struggle with the most.
而這些都是第一年進入大學的學生們最糾結的事情。
Gap year experiences can lessen the blow when it comes to adjusting to college and being thrown into a brand new environment,
間隔年的種種經歷能夠減輕學生在適應大學生活以及身陷全新環境之時所遇到的挫折，
making it easier to focus on academics and activities rather than acclimation blunders.
使他們更容易專注于學業及集體活動上，而不必為適應問題分心。
If you're not convinced of the inherent value in taking a year off to explore interests,
如果你不相信休學一年具有發掘興趣的內在價值，
then consider its financial impact on future academic choices.
那么不妨考慮一下這種行為對于未來學業選擇上的經濟影響。
According to the National Center for Education Statistics,
根據美國國家教育統計中心的數據，
nearly 80 percent of college students end up changing their majors at least once.
近80%的大學生最后都至少換過一次專業。
This isn’t surprising, considering the basic mandatory high school curriculum
這并不奇怪，因為高中那些必修的基礎課程
leaves students with a poor understanding of the vast academic possibilities that await them in college.
不能讓學生對大學里廣泛的專業選擇有足夠的了解。
Many students find themselves listing one major on their college applications, but switching to another after taking college classes.
許多學生都在大學申請時選擇一個專業，上過大學課程之后卻轉到了另一個專業。
It's not necessarily a bad thing, but depending on the school, it can be costly to make up credits after switching too late in the game.
這并不一定是件壞事，但是根據不同學校的情況，換專業太晚可能會在彌補學分這件事上付出高昂代價。
At Boston College, for example, you would have to complete an extra year were you to switch to the nursing school from another department.
例如，在波士頓學院，如果你想從其他專業轉到護理專業的話，你就必須再額外學習一年。
Taking a gap year to figure things out initially can help prevent stress and save money later on.
選擇間隔年一開始就把事情弄明白有助于預防壓力，之后還能節省金錢。
