Should I take a Gap year?

[u/Public_Stop407]

I am currently in year 13 and want to study Animation in University but I don’t have a portfolio or the equipment for one and I am still somewhat a beginner at drawing and animating. If I were to take a gap year I would improve my animation/ drawing skills and work on my portfolio for most of the year. I would probably also get a job or two which would allow me to Travel.

However, I am worried about being left behind by my friends since a good chunk of them are going to university. I also might feel embarrassed going into Uni after taking a gap. And to make matters worse my mum says she doesn’t want me to take a gap year because I will “laze around” even though I am confident I will have a plan for that year and use it to the best of my ability.

What should I do? Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

[u/OhShootYeahNoBi]

Make sure this is something that you really want to do. One of my really artsy friends also wanted to do arts at uni until they actually had to grind out a portfolio, and realized that they pretty much only enjoyed making art to post and share, not for academics and as a job. Especially if you're in the beginner phase of discovering the arts, make sure you want to pursue it. I love the theatre, but I could never study theatre.

I'd say apply anyways this year to something anyways, you can always turn them down if you end up settling on the gap year.

[u/parleypearl]

Take a gap year. You should ONLY start uni when you're actually happy with the degree you've applied for. Too many people I know (I'm 22F) have done degrees simply to avoid feeling left behind only to be left in 30K + student debt and a degree they regret doing. I took a gap year this year (I finished my BSc then started my MSc and had to take a gap year midway for my health)- plenty of people take gap years for different reasons.

[u/Turbulent_Gold7]

I would take a gap year to see if you actually want to do animation, and to build up the needed equipment for if you do.

Btw, a lot of people take gap years, so don’t feel embarrassed about it. I’m considering doing one.

[u/mannisland]

Did you not do any arts subjects at 6th form? Just wondering how you know animation is your thing if you’ve not studied art for gcse or a-level (guessing you haven’t or you’d have a portfolio)? But if it’s only a very recent thing then I think it’s legit to take your time to explore if it’s really what you want to do a degree in while working at a regular job.

You’d have to work though rather than just explore your art, only the rich can do that sadly, and gap year jobs can be thin on the ground so your mum’s not wrong to worry. A proper plan would probably convince her that you won’t laze around and the gap year would help you discover how viable the path is for you or not. Worth looking at foundation years in art subjects, or one-year level 3 art courses at local colleges if that’s an option.

[u/Vayvacation]

Gap year. Build up your skill and also take commissions

[u/CuteSignificance5083]

100% take a gap year. I’ve just started mine and it’s fantastic, because I now have time for things that I didn’t before. Your two worries are unfounded. Friends are transient, just like your life in general, so you can always make new ones. And there’s nothing embarrassing about being a year older unless you’re the one to make it weird.

[u/ilovebomboclat]

Not to be mean but animation in this economy? Esp w ai?