Text by RACHEL LIT
Art by SAMANTHA HO
the unintentional gap
PANDEMIC CHANGES POST-GRAD PLANS
“T
HE CORONAVIRUS RUINED EVERYTHING.” a little idea that I never actively pursued because I’m the type of Palo Alto High School senior Elijah Stein- person who needs a lot of structure when I have a lot of free time, er is one of many who show their frustration for and it almost seemed like a hassle to try and find a program that the numerous life-altering changes created by would potentially interest me,” she said. “But now that coronavirus COVID-19. More specifically, he shares the sentiments of several has become a big deal, I’ve started to think about it much more high school seniors who have been struggling to picture their fu- actively. I would say coronavirus played a large part in my potential tures and iron out their post-high school plans in light of the rap- decision to take a gap year.” idly changing situation. Gap years had been gradually increasing in Meyer recently committed to Wake Forest University, a pripopularity since well before the viral outbreak, with more students vate school located in North Carolina. Though Wake Forest has interested in taking them along with a more supportive culture not officially canceled an in-person fall quarter, Meyer explains surrounding a break in education. But with no guarantee of an that this looming possibility is one of the main reasons she started in-person start to freshman year, travel restricthinking more about taking next year off. tions in place in several countries including “I am going to attend a private school South Africa, Peru and Japan, and for many I would say the coronaand I don’t think it’s fair or right for my an unsatisfying culmination of high school, virus played a large part parents to be spending so much money for the idea of taking a gap year has changed in me to be taking online classes at home at 2020: they’ve become a possibility for those in my decision to take a my kitchen table,” she said. “I think a lot who never considered them and a foiled plan gap year.” of what you’re paying for is the experience — KAITLIN MEYER, senior while you’re at college, and I wouldn’t necfor others who wished to go abroad. In this story, Verde Magazine explores essarily have all the same resources taking these aspects of the gap year culture shift and more through online courses as I would if I were actually on campus.” the lenses of three Paly seniors, along with the specific impact The process of actually choosing a school in the first place COVID-19 has had in determining their future plans. amidst the pandemic had also proven to be strenuous for Meyer, who was expecting to have time over spring break to attend admit Fall quarter fall through weekends and visit campuses in person. According to the New York Times, an estimated 60,000 stu“It [the coronavirus] really turned everything upside down, dents postpone college every year to pursue a gap year, yet this since I was going to do more college visits before deciding where number seems to be drastically increasing due to the coronavirus I was going to go to college,” Meyer said. “So it was stressful and pandemic. A recent survey conducted by the Art & Sciences Group confusing to make that choice, and same goes for deciding about shows that nearly one in six students will “likely revise their plans a gap year.” of attending a four-year college in the fall.” The survey also indiPlanning for the future poses an incredibly challenging feat for cates that 35% of current high school seniors who have decided to students like Meyer, who said that she isn’t certain she will settle change their post-high school plans due to COVID-19 report on a gap year yet, as she wants to wait and see how the coronavirus that they are most likely to take a gap year. situation continues to develop. But after having discussions with Senior Kaitlin Meyer is one of those one- her family, the possibility seems more likely to become a reality. in-six students who are now on the fence “I have had conversations with my family, and again, it goes about going straight to a four-year uni- back to the financial aspect of it all,” Meyer said. “In regards to versity at the start of this upcoming what I would do, I really don’t know at this point; it is very, very school year. Though she thought difficult to make plans because I know they’ll just be turned on about it at the beginning of her their head. Like at this point, there’s so much uncertainty, and it’s college process, Meyer did just not worth the stress or anxiety to worry about something that’s not seriously consider tak- out of my hands.” ing a gap year until more recently, specifically not Altered itineraries until the consequences Similar to Meyer, senior Elijah Steiner is interested in the idea of the coronavirus start- of embarking on a gap year. In fact, Steiner has been planning on ed to unfold in early taking one for nearly three years as part of his Baha’i faith, despite March. travel complications due to COVID-19. “It [a gap year] was “In my faith, there is something called a year of service where
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