“How am I supposed to come directly out of high school and decide what I want to do for the rest of my life? Taking a gap year is exactly what everyone needs,” says senior Haley Robinson when asked about her feelings on taking a gap year.

A gap year is a period of time taken out of one’s ordinary, day to day life, to travel, and/or take a break from the normalcy of everyday living. Usually, a gap year is used by recently-graduated high school students before entering college as a way of exploring the world and finding what he or she is truly interested in. This year off of school tends to help one come to a decision as to what he would like to major in once enrolled in college. During this year people can travel the world, become involved in a charitable organization, and/or go anywhere he desires.

According American Gap Association, in 2010 the United States had an average of 1500 students who had taken a gap year after high school; as of 2013, the number has doubled. There are now over 3500 students taking a gap year, and the number is surely increasing.

The Wall Street Journal shares that 90 percent of students who have taken a gap year returned to college within a year.  Monika Luz, an avid USA Today College gap year blogger, And says that the experience of taking a gap year allowed her to gain a better sense of herself and what is important to her.

According to the Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, taking a gap year is much more popular in other counties such as Norway, Denmark and Turkey. More than 50 percent of students there take a year off before entering college.

“We live in an increasingly digital world and are existing more virtually than before,” says Julia Rogers, director of the gap year program at the University of North Carolina. “The gap year forces them into a real experience—learning a language on the ground, meeting people, engaging in situations—all of which is becoming more and more rare among their peers.”

Although many find this gap year to be beneficial, others disagree. Senior Briana Tedesco states that “there is no point of taking a gap year if you plan to attend college. I do not see the point of waiting and pushing everything back a year.”

A gap year is clearly not for everyone, but, for some it’s a decision that can change a life forever.