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Time Off Before College

Time Off Before College

Date: Mar 14 2008

Themes: School, Time

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Finishing high school is a crossroads of sorts. You can go straight into your career, or you can keep going to school.

But just because you picked one plan doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind. People leave school to go work all the time. And after working for a few years, a lot of people go back to school.

Neither Marni nor Devan finished college right after school and Devan’s a little nervous about it. But since Marni is a few years older, she can give Devan advice about it.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Devan

Devan

Marni

Marni

Devan:  So I just started college after taking three years off after high school.

Marni:  Oh yeah?

Devan:  I’m feeling completely out of practice. I’m a little overwhelmed because all of the other kids that are my age are already seniors and they’re graduating this year, and I’m just a freshman and I feel kind of at a disadvantage.

Marni:  Really? Well, I don’t know. I kind of did the same thing. I started college right after high school and I did a year and it was just too much, and I took some time off and went back. I actually felt like I appreciated my education more because I was ready for it and, you know…

Devan:  That’s interesting. That’s a good point. I think that’s why I didn’t go after high school is because I wasn’t ready. I needed a break.

Marni:  Exactly.

Devan:  Did it take you a while to remember how to format papers and stuff like that?

Marni:  Yeah, and I was an English major so I had to do a lot of that. But you catch on quickly and you just kind of power through and…Are you taking a lot of credits? Because if you overload yourself, you know, right away, it can be overwhelming.

Devan:  I’m trying to take it slow and ease back into it. But I’m excited. Hopefully my outside experience will help me.

 

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Discussion

After three years of not going to school, Devan just started college. She says it’s a little strange since the other students her age are about to graduate and she’s just starting out.

Marni went to college for one year, but then left to work for a while. When she came back, she didn’t feel weird about it like Devan. She was glad to back and felt like she could finally appreciate her education. She admits that it took her a little while to remember how to write papers properly, but she also says it wasn’t too hard to get back into it.

Which do you think is best? To go to college as soon as possible and be the same age as the other people there, or to work for a little while and then go back to school?

 

Comments

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SÉRGIO

SÉRGIO

Brazil

Everyone sometimes needs a break!

02:46 PM Mar 14 2008 |

lujee

lujee

Saudi Arabia

I donno , I can't imagine my self having some years off after high school , and then coming back and all my other friends have already been garuated ..  I'm actually now at the last year of high school so I'm actually at a crossroads and I'm planning in continuing school .

02:44 PM Mar 14 2008 |

numyna

Viet Nam

I think it depends on each situation, but in Vietnam, I think it's f difficult to come back school after working. But "Late or never", so if you have a chance to come to back to school, eventhough it's very difficult, try your best to do that.

02:02 PM Mar 14 2008 |

canqemo

Azerbaijan

Hi. In  my country AZERBAIJAN everything is different. During school years you prepare very hard to enter university . Without hard work you can not enter any university.For example,  I studied very hard during school years, so i entered the university with high score and i get scholarship.

11:43 AM Mar 14 2008 |

canqemo

Azerbaijan

Hi. In  my country AZERBAIJAN everything is different. During school years you prepare very hard to enter university . Without hard work you can not enter any university.For example,  I studied very hard during school years, so i entered the university with high score and i get scholarship.

11:43 AM Mar 14 2008 |

SÉRGIO

SÉRGIO

Brazil

if you go straight to the college after highschool without take some time off, you'll probably finish it quickly. but sometime it is hard, because we can be kind of tired and this can disturb everything.  

11:30 AM Mar 14 2008 |

xieguang133

China

In my opinion,one person should do things that he or she likes.When you find something that you are fond of ,you will work hard for it anywhere you failed.

11:18 AM Mar 14 2008 |

kaushalyats

Sri Lanka

I feel nostalgic when i thinking  about my school days because i really miss those days.

09:57 AM Mar 14 2008 |

kaushalyats

Sri Lanka

I feel nostalgic when i thinking about my school days because i really miss those days.

09:57 AM Mar 14 2008 |

Poli4ka

Poli4ka

Russian Federation

I think it`s better to go to college after school. You have excellent knowledges of subjects.

09:52 AM Mar 14 2008 |

yousafali

Pakistan

My name is yousaf i am from pakistan. you are a prety girl i want your friendship

please give me a response. I hope you like it. your response is heigher appriciated.  Please contact me. I am waiting for your answer

09:24 AM Mar 14 2008 |

mendi87

Mongolia

i think these choise both have benefit.the choise will depends on someone.s characteristic.in my opinion if someone feel very tired of school after graduatin from high school its best choise to take some time off of school.if someone is full of energy after high school,it s best to enroll college

08:28 AM Mar 14 2008 |

li xu

li xu

China

I think study in college is very vital in your l ife  the time is the last chance to learn somthing without much presure  you can choose some subjects which are important for your future and no need to worry about support your family and life partner   so everybody must take advantage of it !

07:00 AM Mar 14 2008 |

shiezan07

Malaysia

i think it is an ordinary issue. in my country also most of student they take off 1-2 years then come back to school and it is depend to that student, they have their own reason and they do have a choice to give the good performance after a long vacation as long as the student already prepared with the mission and vision.

06:47 AM Mar 14 2008 |

cuiying

China

I will choose to go to college as soon as possible. I think the best time to take off is every vacation day when you can have experience in the company.

06:21 AM Mar 14 2008 |

tiffintime

tiffintime

Sri Lanka

I think that the need to take time off while in college is now almost an accepted fact for one's career success. Those days there was a tendency to rush things, and as a result there were several college graduates who were not very practical in their approach, and who were struggling in coming to grips with the real world.

Many universities have now changed their requirements for awarding degrees, and in the UK and elsewhere the  norm now is 'sandwich' courses.   

05:37 AM Mar 14 2008 |

tiffintime

tiffintime

Sri Lanka

The need to take time off while in college is now almost an accepted fact for one’s career success.

05:13 AM Mar 14 2008 |

vigoss

vigoss

Kazakhstan

I fully agree with .S.!.N. I entered to institute on advise of my father…

05:12 AM Mar 14 2008 |

wanglong123

China

Many students in such quandary when they graduate from college,they can't make a decidion whether continue studying in school or just go to work.It's not important which major did you study in college because there is a long career life down the road waitting for you.Take more practise and face the life actively.

05:10 AM Mar 14 2008 |

.S.!.N.

Germany

It's the way I did. Right after I had finished High School, I started an apprenticeship. My attitude changed a lot during this time and I don't regret my decision.

Now I appreciate my education a lot more than before. I don't think I would have done so, if I had have started studying right after my degree.

And you have to agree, when I say that on college are a lot of students who don't conceive what they are doing in in this kind of school.

04:37 AM Mar 14 2008 |

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