Today, widespread social pressure to immediately go to college in conjunction with increasingly high expectations in a fast-moving world
如今，高中毕业后即刻升入大学这一普遍的社会压力，加之快速发展的世界对学生越来越高的要求，
often causes students to completely overlook the possibility of taking a gap year.
往往导致学生完全忽略了选择间隔年这一可能。
After all, if everyone you know is going to college in the fall, it seems silly to stay back a year, doesn't it?
毕竟，如果你认识的每个人都要在秋季步入大学，你一个人休息一年似乎很傻，不是吗？
And after going to school for 12 years, it doesn't feel natural to spend a year doing something that isn't academic.
并且在经历十二年的求学路程之后，花一年时间做学习之外的事也会让人觉得不正常。
But while this may be true, it's not a good enough reason to condemn gap years.
但是即使这些都成立，也不足以成为谴责间隔年的理由。
There's always a constant fear of falling behind everyone else on the socially perpetuated "race to the finish line,"
社会上永久延续着一场“向终点冲刺的比赛”，
whether that be toward graduate school, medical school or lucrative career.
无论终点是研究生院、医学院还是赚钱的职业，人们总有一种落后于别人的担忧。
But despite common misconceptions, a gap year does not hinder the success of academic pursuits—in fact, it probably enhances it.
但是尽管存在着一些普遍的误解，间隔年并不会阻碍学业追求上的成功——实际上，它很可能助人成功。
Studies from the United States and Australia show that
美国和澳洲的研究表明，
students who take a gap year are generally better prepared for and perform better in college than those who do not.
经历过间隔年的学生通常比未经历过间隔年的学生对大学生活有更充分的准备，在校的表现也更好。
Rather than pulling students back,
间隔年不仅不会拖学生们后腿，
a gap year pushes them ahead by preparing them for independence, new responsibilities and environmental changes,
它还会通过培养学生们的独立性、全新的责任感和适应环境变化来帮助他们前行，
all things that first-year students often struggle with the most.
而这些都是第一年进入大学的学生们最纠结的事情。
Gap year experiences can lessen the blow when it comes to adjusting to college and being thrown into a brand new environment,
间隔年的种种经历能够减轻学生在适应大学生活以及身陷全新环境之时所遇到的挫折，
making it easier to focus on academics and activities rather than acclimation blunders.
使他们更容易专注于学业及集体活动上，而不必为适应问题分心。
If you're not convinced of the inherent value in taking a year off to explore interests,
如果你不相信休学一年具有发掘兴趣的内在价值，
then consider its financial impact on future academic choices.
那么不妨考虑一下这种行为对于未来学业选择上的经济影响。
According to the National Center for Education Statistics,
根据美国国家教育统计中心的数据，
nearly 80 percent of college students end up changing their majors at least once.
近80%的大学生最后都至少换过一次专业。
This isn’t surprising, considering the basic mandatory high school curriculum
这并不奇怪，因为高中那些必修的基础课程
leaves students with a poor understanding of the vast academic possibilities that await them in college.
不能让学生对大学里广泛的专业选择有足够的了解。
Many students find themselves listing one major on their college applications, but switching to another after taking college classes.
许多学生都在大学申请时选择一个专业，上过大学课程之后却转到了另一个专业。
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.
这并不一定是件坏事，但是根据不同学校的情况，换专业太晚可能会在弥补学分这件事上付出高昂代价。
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，在波士顿学院，如果你想从其他专业转到护理专业的话，你就必须再额外学习一年。
Taking a gap year to figure things out initially can help prevent stress and save money later on.
选择间隔年一开始就把事情弄明白有助于预防压力，之后还能节省金钱。