Taking a year on, not off: Jean Fan at TEDxBergen
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- Опубліковано 19 жов 2013
- Jean Fan is the Director of Community at UnCollege, an organization that helps people take control of their education through its flagship Gap Year program. In the past, Jean has volunteered at fashion shows, worked at a hackerspace, and led a design initiative. She is currently taking time off from Stanford University to work, learn and travel.
All students should take a year off from school -- from those who want to truly excel in college, to those who are questioning the current system, to those who just want time to pursue personal projects. This year isn't for watching TV and taking a break from learning. Instead, it's a time for students to learn on their own, gain a real-world perspective, and reflect on what they've done and what they want to do. Too often, students (especially ones that excel in school) rush into college, thinking it's the quickest path to success. Unfortunately, if they haven't paused and given themselves a chance to explore their options, this can prove to be the quickest path to the wrong success. By taking a gap year, students can make sure they're building a life they will want to lead.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)
I'm taking a gap year this year- Today was my first day.
Goals:
1. Build a portfolio
2. Get drivers license
3. Get part time job
4. Learn to cook
5. Relearn a language
6. Get my blue belt in Karate
How was it? Really. I am conssidering this too because I really need a break.
hope you had a productive year - would love an update)))
Hi! No pressure but could you give an update about your gap year. :DDD
How’d it go? I hope everything turned out good
Well star smoke. How’d it go. Where are you now? WE ALL WANT TO KNOW
Outstanding and totally relevant! My hubby and I are both PhD scientists and our only child, a daughter, wants to take a gap year. We are trying very hard to understand this, but are struggling, while trying to be supportive. Our daughter keeps saying she wants to take time to figure out what she WANTS to do. Thank you for a great presentation. You may have saved a LOT of mistakes on our part, as her parents. Frankly, I wish I had had such an option.👏🏼
Thank you for being the kind of parents that you are. All over the world children wish they had open minded parents like you - TRYING to understand. Much love
I am highly considering a gap year...
I would spend my time going back to the basics. Work on fundamental learning. Mastering writing, maybe write a book. Exercise and work on my diet. Do all the things I want to do not what I'm told to do. Get a job. Save up and buy a car. The list is endless and I am so motivated because it is what I want to do. Thanks Jean for speaking about this. A gap year sounds great if you make it great. I'm not going to be playing around.....Now time time to tell the folks.
hell yeah
Michael Hernandez this is what my gap year's all about. 😁
Michael Hernandez Damn! You totally spoke my mind. Even I'm considering doing all of this during my gap year. But I have a few questions for you since your comment is from a year ago. How can we get in touch?
Don't worry about them being unsupportive. ITS YOUR LIFE
Same exact thing I want to do. I hope it was good! ❤
I love the idea of a gap year but I wish they would stop saying it's for students only. I'm 27 and I'm considering taking a year off to explore and do other things besides a cubicle job. I do wish they have programs for people after high school though
wall
I’ve just come across this video after finishing my gap year. To anyone considering it, I would HIGHLY encourage you to take a structured gap year, either doing a part time program or having a part time job. The lessons I’ve learned this year about myself and the world have been invaluable, and I’m now a lot more secure in the idea of the degree that I deferred last year. The benefits of a gap year have been endless to me.
Hey,
A year has passed since you posted this comment, and I was wondering if you could give an update on how things have been after taking your gap year?
I'm currently considering taking a year off from university and seeing someone else's perspective on it after going throught the process would be more than helpful! Thank you in advance & sorry if my grammar was off - english is my second language.
Have a good day!
@@annafekete5019 Hey Anna! I think it would be a bit of a different situation for me and you, as I took my gap year after school and you're considering taking one midway through university, but I would still say absolutely do it if you have a list of things you want to achieve or need to make some money instead of studying for a while or are unsure if you want to keep studying the degree you're in. The main way that my gap year is still relevant to my life now is that I often don't end up doing the projects I want to do because I should be using that time to study, and I realize that my chance to do a lot of projects would have been during my gap year and I didn't fully utilize the opportunity when I had it. So I would have loved if someone told me to make a well-structured list at the start of my gap year of things I absolutely had to personally achieve at some point in the year, and actually stick with it. Use your gap year to work on personal discipline and getting things done because only you is keeping you accountable. It will really set you off on a good path for the rest of your studies.
@@emilym5870 Thanks! I will keep this in mind when the time comes for my gap year
I’m currently a senior in high school and am going to be graduating in 5 months. I have officially decided to take a gap year before entering college not to just stay at home and sleep but to work and build savings. I plan to attain my drivers license, fix up my car, build my savings account, receive job experience, and most importantly EXPAND MY WORLDVIEW! My whole life I have never left my home town/state simply due to school (My parents would never agree to pulling me out of class to travel) so traveling during my gap year is an absolute priority for me and I intend to meet new people.
I’m about to take a gap year this fall, my graduation is this Saturday the 25th, I’m moving to a bigger city and hoping to gain much more life experience before I hop into education again. How was your gap year Neil? Any tips? Regrets?
How did it go?
@@isellbleach6930 how did it go?
I graduated two days ago, and I made the decision to defer a couple of months ago. At first, it was just to earn money. However, I also realised that I didn't know how to think for myself - I spent so long conforming to all the expectations put upon me that I couldn't even name a hobby or a favourite song. I'm very excited for the year that's ahead of me!
I'm a bit late to the discussion, but I am currently on a gap year. Originally, it wasn't my intention, but after being medically disqualified from the United States Military Academy at West Point, I really didn't have any other option. It's only been around 6 months off since high school, yet I can already attest to the fact that I've grown so much more in these past 6 months than in any other period of time throughout my 18 years thus far. I've been documenting my gap year on my channel throughout the past couple months, and it's already amazing to see my growth/change in mindset just through the course of these videos. On the topic of discovering what we want to do, I've been afforded the time to now explore topics I had either not yet discovered in high school or hadn't had the chance to delve further into during high school. I've been rejuvenated by this gap year, and for me, I realize that I want to college not because I should, but because I want to learn more to push and challenge myself. As said in the talk, there really is no down side - a year in the grander scheme of life is just a sliver of time and I already feel the benefits warranting this decision for anyone else. For any high school seniors watching this, consider taking a gap year, I highly recommend it.
I watched this video at the beginning of my junior year a little over a year ago and now I'm going through the college process as a senior and seriously considering a gap year
Amber P what did you decide?
I’m a junior at college right now was already thinking about taking a year because of grades and what not but Let me know what you dov
when you're 80 years old and you look back in your life will 12 months off be significant? Why would you find it difficult to study again if you're studying something you're passionate about? this is a non issue. If you find it challenging to study again then you're in the wrong course.
studies that you may find challenging are often the best. So I don't think it's always the wrong course.
I'm sorry sir but a little bit of ignorance has slipped out of your mouth there. You might want to check it out. You're speaking from a perspective that has obviously had no experience or exposure to the disposition one is in when one is following a socially-paved path but knows *intrinsically* that this path is not for him/her. Check yourself before you wreck yourself.
I would probably remember the first time I drove a car or the vacation I took or the cooking class I attended during my gap year than the class or lectures I attended in college
Now this is what i thinking too
bro shut the front door
I was put on the waiting list for UC Berkeley and, fortunately, got accepted a month later. Since I got accepted from the waiting list, I was defaulted into "January Start" and will be starting in the Spring semester instead of the Fall.
I was so stressed out because I didn't know what I would do during that Fall semester. All of my friends would be off to college, who would I be around? Will I not graduate on time? Does this mean I'll have to cram more classes in my schedule to stay on track?
After watching this I realize that I still don't know what I WANT; I haven't found myself yet. I really want to take this time off and find what Beatriz wants, not what everyone else tells her she should.
Thank you so much for this, Jean, I truly needed to hear it.
Beatriz Israde update?? I'm considering taking Fall semester off after finishing my first year of college. I still don't know what major to do and I believe that this time off will help me focus on a better me and a better life.
Beatriz Israde Is love to hear how things are going😗 i myself plan on taking a gap semester because i still really don’t know what my life calling is 👁
Really wish I watched this my senior year of high school, would have totally taken a year off.
todor same :(
Erin F yes I'm planning on taking fall semester off at my CC. I believe bettering my person is far more important than worrying about school especially if I still don't know what major to do
Diana Valencia lol I know it’s 2 years late but did you take a year off or a semester off?
@@Darkpyro7 haha no
@@Darkpyro7 I’m in the same situation as Diana and I’m not going next semester
I have been in a gap year since this January with the intent to do what I love (explore filmmaking). Pains me to say I haven't used my time wisley. Hopefully I can make the best of it for the remainder of the year.
I am about to graduate this december and I already feel so burnt out that I don't want jump into a career immediately. I want to travel for a month first.
Spicedup Adventure I want to volunteer for one whole year in a different country after I’m done with my undergraduate degree. I don’t know if that will be possible and I’m already close to graduation as a senior.
I've been struggling with this for such a long time and i finally have the courage to do something other then what society says i should do, i wanted to take a break but didn't really understand how i wanted to use that time and how to convince my parents that um not going to just be laying around all day in bed and eat cake and cookies! i want to read i want to explore want to acquire knowledge that will help me become a better me. I really feel its my time and i have to take it. thank you!!!!
I really encourage you to do so! This is coming from someone that took 2 years off and now about to graduate with a 3.94 gpa. I really credit the focus I have in school to the 2 years I took off "finding myself" and figuring things out for me. At the end of the day it's your life and you can feel what will suit you best. Good luck!
How did it go?
Mentally tied ,I'm taking a gap year and I surely wanna experience my heart desire at its Core...
Just graduated this 2020 and I had no choice but to do a gap year cause my plans didn't work out and due to this pandemic. I must admit it's scary but I'm excited to take a year on before I go back to UNI!
These are my goals during this gap year:
1. Loose weight
2. Make more products for my online shop
3. Part time job
4. Improve German language
5. Read more books
6. Travel
how did it go?
Taking a year off between high school and college could be an intelligent decision. The student would have time to become more mature and might have a better idea of the study direction he/she would like to pursue and the kind of school that would be a good "fit".
Gabriela Myburgh
I'm in grade 10 with no idea what i want to have for a job/career. i was thinking of a gap year but after i watched this video im 100% gonna take one, so i can figure out what i want to do then pursue it directly.
Eric Tetzlaff yes! Because if not then you'll just get more stress into your life and spend thousands of money
is this still your plan
Currently taking a gap year (pre law) my goals are..
1. Score high on my LSAT
2. Learn French
3. Work and save money
4. Develop healthier habits
5. Become skilled at making UA-cam content
Good luck girl, this inspires me!
Olivia Pestana thank you!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Loved this! I'm currently on a gap year and this message has just reminded me of why I decided to go for it in the first place!!
Gap year it is.
MCPretzelM999 how was it?? what did u do? :D i myself am going to take a gap year to work and then travel after quarantine!
It eeeez what it eeeeeez
How was it
@@Wrawny I highly recommend it, especially now. Get a job.
I have had many gap experiences so far. The longest was a whole year. It is vital to stop and question everything you are doing on a personal and professional level. I highly recommend having a gap experience. It doesn't have to be crazy, it doesn't have to be on the other side of the world. Ask yourself: 'Is this experience going to help me grow ?' If the answer is Yes ! Then go ahead but remember to plan it well.
Forgot to say I really enjoyed your talk, I really hope more people around me understand gap year this way.
for me the big worry is taking a gap year, enjoy myself, make some money and find who i really am, and then what? there's no way after all that I'll want to go back to menial studies. I am most worried that I'll have so much fun that everything but that will seen meaningless
Hi there, I'm a first year Engineering student here. I'll be taking a year out between first and second year to be me, to do what I want... If I find during that year that I can do what I love doing and also get by in day to day life, I'm sure as hell going to stick with something I love doing
Sara Dickson same this has been in my mind as a second quarter culinary arts student. 😩
Sara Dickson but surely from what you're saying it suggests that you don't really enjoy the "normal" working life, but you'd rather continue to work it just because you have to? I get what you're saying, because we all need to work to be able to afford to live- but, i just think that you shouldn't let the worry of changing that stop you from really enjoying life and having time off... don't be scared man
Sara Dickson that's exactly what I'm worried about. I can imagine me going travelling and never going back haha😂
Sara Dickson 100% agree
I'm going to graduate in 3 years (from a German Gymnasium). I think, I'm really going to do a gap year, maybe ''Work and Travel''. I am so excited!!! :)
what a wonderful chosen words .. these words are definately going to inspire and influence a huge number of people..
Wow she's so powerful. I think that I might take a gap year. I'm hoping to something theatre related at uni so maybe I'd spend some time adding to my theatre knowledge or writing a play.
When i graduate, im showing this video to my parents to explain why i'm taking a gap year
♥
Hey Slava! Great question.
When I say free time, I don't necessarily mean time spent doing nothing. For most people, going out into the world and *doing* things is the best way to learn, grow, and figure out what they want.
I view "free" time as time that you have complete control over. YOU can choose how you spend it. For me, that means working - I learn best on the job. :-)
one of the most informative, eye-opening ted talks I've watched, thanks!
I’ve been working full time and going to school full time for awhile now I graduate in December and I’m definitely taking a gap year to travel for two whole months before grad school this video made me feel better and now I see I’m not the only one who thinks like this lovely video 😊
I really need subtitles in spanish to show this video to my parents and friends, this talk has the right words, she couldn't have said it better!
Very inspiring thank you!
Thanks for answering questions :)
My point was: taking full-time job (even the one you like) actually puts you in more stressful situation for self-learning and exploring new things compared to college environment.
(I can obviously be wrong since I never did the later).
Great talk again! You should do another one looking at this experience in retrospective sharing your experience: what went wrong, unexpected or vice-versa.
marvellous! I am feeling great after watching this and learning the realities
thank you!!!✌✌
I loved it! Well done!
Thank you so much for this speach, I just did a panel discussion on this topic in college
♥
My goals are:
Get my License
Save up for school
Work towards my internship
Build up my UA-cam Channel
Become Vegan
Workout more 😘
Good luck!
Sounds like a plan! 😊
amazing speech !!
I am dealing with my father who yells for a reason about not passing GED exams I was trying go to pass GED then pass it for my efforts but I had to study hard to pass my GED diploma and I need to study hard to get out of this bloody house.
The talk is great and reminds me a lot about the whole under 20 thing. Less focused on changing the World but more on personal growth (both are great).
What I don't understand - Jean refers to the Year Off(On?) as a free time you need to invest in your personality and rethinking what you want. How do you get this free time if you are forced to work full-time and pay for rent and etc etc? Maybe I am thinking too narrow but the impression I got: you have much more free time for yourself in colleg
Hi people, I found this Talk very helpful up until she said "think about what you want to do". I went to college this September after narrowing down what study I should do to have a good job one day and also kind of liked. Quickly though I realized I did not like it one bit. A month past before I told my parents because I wanted to come up with a plan, something I would do instead. That is when I realized I don't want to do anything. I have no desire to do anything and that ate at me for that month and got me feeling down. When I finally told my parents I still did not know. I gave myself a harder time than they did. They want me to do something I like, we talked about things I like but I don't like like anything. Wow while writing this I realized something. I don't think I "like" something enough because I see people on the internet daily that do things that I would want to do, but am not doing because there are sooo many people out there that can do it better, try harder , work harder. But that does not mean I should not do it because I think I won't be as good as them. Wow thanks comment section for giving me this epiphany
I am taking a year off because I wasn't accepted at the university I wanted to go to and it is completely fine for my and for my mom. I am preparing for next year and to me is not a big deal. In fact, i started a blog recently and I decided I want to study German. It is all abou you and how you take advantage of your year off. I know someone who also did not get into the uni she wanted but still choose to go to another uni because her parents forced her to do so. She doesn't like it but her parents just want to be able to tell others that their girl is also at university. It shouldn't be like that. Some parents can really put more value into what others say than what their own kid wants.
9:23 hitmarker 360
I'm not sure if I should take another couple semesters off or not. I took a year and a half off when I graduated high school and now that I'm finally in college I just completed Winter term. But I've been suffering from serious mental health issues lately (I don't even want to use that as an excuse because it feels like a cop out), but I don't feel like I'm in a right place right now and have lost ALL motivation. I'm currently seeking out help from a nearby mental health facility. I feel like in doing so I'll be letting everyone down (specifically my mom and Grandpa) who were relieved that I was finally going to school though. I just don't know what to do!
Jake G 2187 what'd you do
Im in a very similar boat now. Im curious to know what you decided to do and how it worked out for you.
What did both of you do?
What if I don't know what I want to do😭😭😭
Teddy Lin how’re you doing so far now?
Go jean!!! :D
I'm taking a gap year starting May 27th it's going to be fucking LIIIIIITTTTT
Phillipos Lemma hey can you tell me more about what you actually decided to do. I'm thinking about a year off this year too
Pallavi Agarwal sure!
2 weeks after my graduation, i'm flying off to backpack on the west coast, then i'm coming home to work for 2 months, then i'm travelling again with a company called IHVQ ($3,000 USD for 4 months includes everything) then i'm coming home to work again for a few months then in mid april i'm hitting the trail again expect a different one and going for a longer period of time
I planned out my gap year extensively starting in winter of senior year
Do your research and you can fin great deals
Phillipos Lemma thank you so much. I wanna take a gap year before I go to college !
My parents are pressuring me to go to school or military...i have no clue on what to do
Interesting Paradigm Shift. (freedom)
I want to take a gap year and go WWOOFering in New Zealand and just go wherever I want in New Zealand and get some life skills that I am not able to get inside school. I am not able to convince my father that this is what I need and want because he is afraid that taking a year off will hurt my grades in college when I come back. I don't know why I want to study Network Engineering but I want to, but I want to know WHY. The only reason I chose Network Engineering is because I looked up what jobs are thriving and pays generously. This is why I want to take a gap year, I want to know what I really want, this video convinces me that a gap year really is what I need.
ayo bruhhh im in the exact same position i want to do computer science but i have no idea why i want to do it. did u end up figuring it out
Although this video & posts are several months/years old, please consider this post (10/2016) as a POSITIVE affirmation from an 'elder statesman' (GenX-USA) believing in the 'Gap Year' concept - - Any young adult of college/university age TODAY (10/2016) who is contemplating a 'Gap Year' should ABSOLUTELY do so ... DO NOT second guess your instincts!!! - - The concept of a 'Gap Year' was only considered a 'reality' for young adults in USA during the time of of my generation (GenX), only for Ivy League College/University students of the era ... Today (10/2016), I am an executive with many years of interviewing/hiring/mentoring young adults in the 'Business World' (USA) ... I truly value candidates with 'Gap Year' experience vs. 'Non-Gap Year' peer candidates.
ninja dawg
In my gap year I’m going to learn
Spanish
French
Arabic
Boxing
Maybe internships/shadowing (not sure cause of corona)
Discipline (in a positive way to control my eating habits and lazy mentality)
New skills that will hopefully help me find a path to go in major wise
Read one book that’s will benefit me in any way every week
Learn to budget & save
Learn more about stocks and investing
I really feel that I should take a gap year but I'm an international student and I don't want to go back home
so I finished high school n all.my friends have gotten into colleges and planned out the next 10 years of their lives n I'm stuck..idk wat to do with my life n I live in India but my parents are supportive but my only fear is wat if I'm still in the same mindset at the end of my gap year n wtf do I do in this gap year
I would definitely consider taking a gap year if it is something you want to do. I just graduated from high school in May and have already committed to a university. Even though I am supposed to start next month, I am not even sure if I really want to go.
The way the girl in this video described herself in high school is exactly how I was in high school. I didn't get into an Ivy League school, though. I had straight A's and supposedly "thrived in an academic environment". Teachers praised me as did other students in addition to my parents, siblings, and fridnds. But like the girl in this video also mentions, I came to the radiation that I'm not that awesome as we everybody thinks I am.
College is expensive. I committed to going to an in-state university, but neither my parents nor I have the funds to pay, and I am not taking out loans and borrowing money from sources in an amount that I don't have at the moment. If I Stat my school next month and attend for the next 4 years I will accumulate $32,000+ of owed money to this school that I don't have. Yes, I could take out lo a ns. But I think it's a dumb choice for me to take out $8,000 in offered loans per year (what my school offered me) each year for 4 years. It is too high risk, in my opinion.
The reason why I also don't want to go to college next month is because I'm not sure what I want to study. I have an idea of what I want to major in, but I don't know for sure. I do not want to take out lo as ns to attend a college just so I can blindly pursue what I think I'm interested in. I want to pursue something because I know I'll enjoy it, not just by taking a wild guess as to whether or not I'll enjoy it and be passionate about it or not.
I think a gap year might be a good option for me. I can work and find internship opportunities and career experience opportunities that I can take to get to know myself better. That sounds so lame, but I believe that takin a gap year will give me a better idea of what I truly am interested in and what I am passionate about. This way I'll go to college known that my financial investment is wise because I've made sure that I've invested in earning a degree that I truly want.
But with all of this being said, I am still on the fence about this whole situation.
As for you being a senior in nigh school, here is some advice which you do not have to take but that I think is importznt: If you do decide that you want to attend college, make sure you apply to a lot of schools. I know a lot of people do not encourage students to apply to a lot of colleges for admission, but admissions is so competitive in today's world that even getting into your supposed "safety schools" is not guaranteed. Nobody told me this, and I ended up applying to 6 colleges and was only accepted to 2. Also start the scholarship search early. Even if you do not end up going to college and decide to take a gap year, some scholarships you get could still Jr used to fund your gap year's adventures.
My last, and most important piece of advice for you would be to do what makes you happy. Make choices because they will make you happy, not because they will please others and make others happy. Don't go to college just because your parents or your teachers or your friends want you to. If you want to take a gap year and that is what will mske you happy, then by all means do that. If you have any questions for me or comments, feel free to contact me. I'm here to help. :)
same here man I'm in India too and I'm gonna be taking a gap year to build my resume
I tried to do IIT JEE but it didn't work out. not too sure on what I can do
will it be harder to get into selective schools if you take a gap year?
Actually, for students who is not like the speaker who is a minority (Stanford acceptance), the worst case scenario would be that after a year, they've lost all motivation to pursue a higher education and completely submerged themselves into unproductive / time-wasting activities due to their lack of self control.
I just told my mom this and it was sad. But I don’t know what I wanna do that’s why I want to take a semester off
'da best college'
I’ll need a gap year to relearn he whole syllabus because even international schools do such terrible jobs in Malaysia
♥♥♥
I did a gap year I fished high school in 2015
yuhhhh
Slava, in my experience of taking a gap year you are wrong...why would you make such a righteous statement if you've admittedly never been in that position? Otherwise, good suggestion for Jean to make a retrospective vid.
Who thinks learned more in college then high school ?
Hahahah try asking a group of Asian students! It's quite unconventional for us and I go to an international school
I'm gonna consider covid-19 (which is happening during my senior year) a gap year for me.
hmmm let me think what i want to do.....i have no clue hahahaha
wow does this really want to take a gap year.
I see does this really want to English. I feel if the confused can I read.
IT DO AND YOU KNOW IT
>social justice class
????????
5:13
what are you waiting for...
Its gap then...
Lovely speech but I wish she had been taught to never wear brown shoes with black trousers
Gilo Bris petty
PLUG
I had to take a gap year, I hated it so much😂
Why?
Wena shina, eri hombre o mujer?
Wena guatón Mario.
Loans
Only rich kids can take a gap year!
that's not true at all lol. I'm just going to get a job and focus on personal goals.
only rich kids waste money on college!
In America you're right. Thank god I live somewhere where education is free.
a gap year??? bull shit, i dont need it
TaG hEUEr that's for you but many other people need it
Worst ted talk ever!