When I graduated from high school, I felt lost, so I took a gap year to live in France. It better prepared me for college.

• I graduated from high school early, and I didn't know what I wanted to do for college.
• I decided to take a gap year, and I traveled to France to consider my options.
• I learned I wanted to be a speech pathologist and got into the perfect school for me.

In the fall semester of my junior year of high school, I realized I had enough credits to graduate a year early. My graduation year changed from 2024 to 2023; I became a senior overnight.

I was suddenly presented with one major problem: college. What would I do after graduation? I'd always intended to go to college, but with plenty of time to make the decision, I felt no sense of urgency. Now, with the plan to graduate early, the deadline to decide where to go and what to study was reduced to less than a semester.

Ultimately, it came down to two options: go to college immediately after high school or wait. As the spring semester of my now senior year drew to a close without any clarity on a school or major, waiting started to seem like the better option. So, that's what I did: I waited.

I'm so glad I did because my gap year prepared me for college in many ways.

Spending time in France became the perfect adventure

The first half of my gap year was spent over 5,000 miles away from my hometown in Tyler, Texas. I remember the day when I arrived in southern France with my luggage and all the excitement only a 17-year-old girl could have on her first international travel experience.

I was greeted with sweltering heat, nauseating jetlag, and a language that I thought I knew but couldn't seem to understand. Not deterred, I took the next several days to unpack and settle in with my host family. It took the next several months, however, to adjust to the new country, culture, and customs.

In the mornings, I went to a language school where I studied advanced French for four hours. In the afternoons, I explored the city, exercised, or rested at home. In the evenings and on the weekends, I spent time with my host family and volunteered at a local church. I even had the opportunity to take two trips to Paris and a trip to Rome and Florence.

Those four-and-a-half months were very formative in my young life; I learned so much about the world and took home practical life lessons that will last for years.

I was finally able to focus on what I really wanted to do in college

I returned from France two days before the new year. I gained wonderful new experiences from the journey but had reached no decision about college. During my time overseas, I applied to several universities and researched countless careers to no avail.

Nevertheless, I jumped into the new year, trusting that God would reveal his plan to me. I revisited my career assessment and worked tirelessly on school and scholarship applications on top of the part-time job I picked up. By February, things were looking up. I shadowed a speech pathologist and was fairly certain I'd found the right career for me. I'd been accepted into a university that had an excellent speech pathology program. Plus, I was in the running for a significant scholarship at that school.

On March 1st, I received a call announcing that I had been awarded the highest scholarship the school had to offer — full college tuition. From that point on, I was excited as I shared the news with my friends and family, made my first schedule, and bought things for my dorm. Most importantly, I knew where to go, what to study, and that I was making the right choice. In the end, I just needed an extra year to figure it out.

Taking a gap year was one of the best decisions I've ever made

Not only was it a remarkable experience, but it proved to be extremely helpful. After my early graduation, I was not prepared to make a decision about college. The extra year gave me the time I needed to make an informed decision about my future.

Additionally, I matured and learned valuable life lessons and skills. France, for example, taught me to live without my family. My independence and budgeting skills grew enormously as well. The two jobs I worked upon my return to Texas helped me save for college and mature professionally. My gap year also allowed my brain to rest and recuperate from years in elementary, middle, and high school before diving back into the academic sphere.

I won't claim that a gap year is for everyone. Some students know exactly what they want to do and waste no time doing it. Others need a little more time, like I did. My gap year afforded me incredible life experiences, and most importantly, it better prepared me for college.