Why I Did the Unthinkable and Took a Gap Year 为什么我要休间隔年

Jonathan+Guzman++译+Fiona+Cai

Manila， the city where I grew up， boasts a metropolitan area larger than Beijing and as developed as Singapore by United Nations standards. But theres a visible gap in this vibrant1）， cosmopolitan city between the wealthy few and the masses struggling to get by. Growing up， I quickly learned that the citys offerings were reserved for those with the means2） to enjoy them.

So a few years ago， as my college graduation approached， it came as little surprise to hear my uncle offer advice my parents and family had repeated throughout my childhood in the Philippines：

“Remember，” he said， “money isnt everything. But it is almost everything.”

To him and the rest of my family， the only sensible path was a direct line toward financial stability and success. So you can imagine their confusion when I announced that medical school3） wouldnt be my next immediate stop after crossing Vanderbilt Universitys stage.

Instead， Id be doing the unthinkable： Id take a gap year.

A gap year is a break in ones education， whether that means a year off between high school and college or between college and graduate or professional school. Some spend the year gaining work experience—a sort of preview for the career ahead， or a chance to try out another field. They might travel abroad， or pursue community service.

Many might not think my own， less adventurous experience—working a full-time job in medical research， a productive pause before applying to medical schools—would qualify. But it still caused my family to worry that I was falling behind. Though supportive of my long-term goals， my mother feared， as a physician herself， that the already difficult road ahead of me would only get longer. A few relatives even began to question whether medicine was really still part of my intended future.

Through the utilitarian4） lens which my Filipino5） family and friends see education， gap years are largely a waste. They picture aimless participants who are slow to find careers， delay receiving proper salaries， and pursue activities that dont justify the money spent or earnings lost.

That anxiety is at odds with the apparent attitudes of American college students， who seem perfectly comfortable with gap years. Roughly three-quarters of each incoming class at Harvard Universitys law school applied after taking at least a year off. Northwestern University students planning on medical school also tended to favor a gap year， while Rice University noted a good number of its students doing the same. After pointing out that more than three-quarters of Duke Universitys students wait to apply to medical school until after they graduate， the schools website adds that “students who engage in a year or more of experiential activity after graduation … are more mature， resilient， confident， and accomplished.”

Even for incoming college freshmen， gap years are becoming increasingly attractive： Attendance at USA Gap Year Fairs， a nationwide circuit6） of events involving relevant organizations and experts， has almost tripled since 2010.

Gap years have reached such a degree of acceptability， schools like Princeton and Tufts universities have started their own programs for students to take a “transformational year of full-time service， domestically or abroad， before beginning their academic studies.”

I moved to Houston after graduating from Vanderbilt with an ambitious plan for my time off before starting an MD-PhD program7）. Because of competitive admissions， experience in full-time research and graduate-level biomedical coursework8） was my priority. Rice University， known for its rigorous academics and solid research opportunities， had already accepted me at the time.

But ultimately I chose to work in research at Baylor College of Medicine9）. A biweekly paycheck and the opportunity to pursue tuition-free coursework at Baylors graduate school for biomedical sciences were too enticing to pass up10）.

My friend Katharine Yang， now a second-year medical student， was there with me. She had decided to work full-time as a medical assistant at a cardiology11） clinic before starting at Baylor， and wasnt the only one in her class to take a gap year.

“I wanted a taste of real life，” she said when I asked about the detour12）. During that time， Katharine picked up ballroom dancing13） and became involved in human rights advocacy through RESULTS14）， a nonprofit group that she still dedicates some time to as a med student.

Thinking back on it now， “I would maximize my time even more，” she said. “If I could do it again， I would spend less time watching TV shows， and more time learning about cultures， politics， and religion—things that I wish I could do now that Im in medical school.”

Eduardo Medellin， a Baylor researcher currently applying to medical schools， had a different approach to his gap year. “I really appreciate the opportunity to network early，” he said， noting the career opportunities he was eyeing at the Texas Medical Center. Before hearing about the job opening during a mission trip abroad， Eduardo was planning to work as a pharmacy technician back home in Laredo15）.

Hes glad the opportunity presented itself. “Working here at Baylor was the best thing that could have happened to me，” he said. But I know most of my family dont see my own decision that way. The message Ive always gotten from them was that education was merely the means toward an end. Success was defined by whether I could provide for my family， reap the material rewards of my labor， and give back to God and country.

The 10 years I spent in the U.S. before graduating from Vanderbilt challenged my childhood perception of education： It became an end in and of itself16）. Instead of being unnecessary add-ons to an already lengthy career path， for example， doctoral programs ranging from bioethics to immunology were opportunities to broaden my future practice.

Even after my gap year， Im still trying to strike a balance between the pragmatic priorities I was raised with and the vibrant ones I developed during my U.S. education. Medical school remains my goal， but I feel like a more complete candidate as I face down17） admissions interviews.

I learned the discipline of a full-time job and worked with physicians who I plan to stay in touch with， as both professional and personal connections. I juggled graduate coursework alongside employment， preparing me （in theory） for the hectic18） schedule ahead. For the price of a later start to my career， I learned how to pursue the kind of success my family taught me to value.

So while I appreciate my uncles advice， knowing full well he wanted the best for me， I feel compelled to reword it here：

Money is almost everything. But it isnt everything.

我在马尼拉市长大，该市自诩城市面积比北京大，发达程度按照联合国的标准能与新加坡匹敌。但是，在这个充满活力的国际大都市里，生活富裕的少数人与艰难度日的普通大众之间却存在着明显的差距。随着我的成长，我很快认识到，这个城市所提供的东西都是给那些有钱享受的人们准备的。

因此，几年前我临近大学毕业的时候，听到叔叔给我的忠告，我一点都不觉得惊讶。我小时候在菲律宾时，我的父母和家人就曾经反复给我这样的忠告。

“记住，”他说，“钱不是万能的，但它近乎万能。”

对于他和我的其他家人而言，唯一的明智之举就是直接迈入收入稳定和成功的行列。所以，当我宣布自己在完成范德堡大学的学业后不会立马去念医学院时，你可以想象他们有多困惑。

相反，我要做一件不可思议的事：我要休个间隔年。

间隔年是指某人在求学过程中进行的短暂休息，既可以指在念完高中、进入大学之前休息一年，也可以指在念完大学、开始研究生或专业学院学习之前休息一年。有些人利用这一年的时间积累工作经验——提前了解日后的职业生涯或者借机尝试其他领域。他们可能会出国旅行，或者参与社区服务。

很多人可能觉得我那段不太冒险的经历称为间隔年根本不够格：我在一家医学研究机构做全职工作，这是申请医学院之前一段卓有成效的休学时光。然而，就是这样的间隔年仍然让我的家人担心我会落后。身为内科医生的母亲虽然对我的长期目标表示支持，但她还是担心我未来原本已很艰辛的路只会因此变得更加漫长。我的几个亲戚甚至开始质疑，在我规划的未来里是否真的还有医学的一席之地。

从我的菲律宾家人和朋友看待教育的功利视角来说，间隔年很大程度上是一种浪费。在他们的想象中，参与间隔年的是一群漫无目的的人，他们不急于确定职业，推迟了挣体面工资的时间，参加的活动根本不值花出去的那些钱，也不值损失的那些收入。

那种焦虑与美国大学生的态度完全相左，美国的大学生态度明确，似乎完全接受间隔年。每年，哈佛大学法学院的新生班级都有大概四分之三的学生是休学至少一年后再申请的。西北大学打算申请医学院的学生也倾向于休间隔年，而莱斯大学也指出该校相当多的学生也在这样做。杜克大学指出，该校有超过四分之三的学生都是等自己毕业之后才申请医学院，而后该校的网站还补充道：“那些参加过一年或更长时间体验活动的学生……更加成熟，适应性更强，更自信，也更有造诣。”

即便对于即将进入大学的新生而言，间隔年也变得愈发有吸引力了：自2010年以来，参加美国间隔年大会的人数几乎增至原来的三倍。美国间隔年大会是一个全国性的巡回活动，有很多相关组织和专家参与其中。

有如此多的人接受间隔年，于是像普林斯顿和塔夫茨这样的大学都开始推出他们自己的活动，让学生“在开始学术研究之前度过一年转换期，参加国内或者国外的全职服务活动”。

从范德堡大学毕业后，我搬到了休斯敦，为自己在开始念医学博士和哲学博士双学位之前的这段休学时光制定了一个雄心勃勃的计划。由于录取竞争很激烈，全职研究的实践经历和生物医学方面的授课型研究生课程成为我的首选。而彼时，莱斯大学已经录取了我，该校以严谨的学术态度和出色的研究机会而著称。

但是最终我选择了在贝勒医学院从事研究工作。两周发一次薪水，还有机会在贝勒生物医药科学研究生院免费学习授课型课程，这简直太诱人了，让我无法拒绝。

我的朋友凯瑟琳·杨当时和我一起在那里工作，现在她是一名医学院二年级的学生。在贝勒医学院工作之前，她已经决定去做一份全职工作—在一家心脏病诊所担任医务助理。她并不是班上唯一一个休间隔年的学生。

“我想体验一下真正的生活。”当我问起她走间隔年这条弯路的经历时她说道。在那段时间，她重拾了跳交际舞的兴趣，还通过RESULTS这一非营利性组织参加了倡导人权的活动。如今，作为医学院的学生，她仍会抽出时间参与其中。

现在回想起来，“我应该更充分地利用我的时间，”她说，“如果我能再来一次，我会少看一些电视节目，多花点时间学习文化、政治和宗教方面的知识，现在上医学院，我多么希望还能做这些事情啊。”

爱德华多·麦德林是贝勒医学院的一名研究人员，目前正在申请医学院。他对自己休间隔年抱有不同的想法。他说：“我非常重视及早搭建关系网的机会。”这话指的是他一直关注的得克萨斯医学中心的工作机会。他是在国外进行短期传教时偶然听说那个职位有空缺的。在此之前，爱德华多打算回家乡拉雷多当一名药剂师。

他很开心机会能自己找上门来。“在贝勒医学院工作是我遇到过的最好的事情。”他说。但是我知道我的大多数家人并不这样看待我自己做的这个决定。我经常从他们那里得到的信息是，教育只是达到某种目的的手段而已。成功是通过我能否赡养我的家人、能否通过劳动获得物质回报以及能否回馈上帝和国家来界定的。

在我从范德堡大学毕业前，我在美国生活了十年。这十年让我儿时对于教育的看法受到了挑战：教育本身就是目的。举例而言，从生物伦理学博士项目到免疫学博士项目，它们都是我拓展未来从医实践的机会，而非我漫漫职业道路上不必要的附加物。

即便休完间隔年之后，在考虑事情的轻重缓急时，我仍试图在实用主义与澎湃激情之间找到平衡。前者是我在成长过程中被灌输的，后者是我在接受美国教育的过程中收获的。医学院仍旧是我的目标，但是当我勇敢地直面录取面试官时，我觉得自己是一个素质更加全面的候选人。

我学到了做一份全职工作该有的规矩，并且与我想要在专业和个人生活方面一直保持联系的内科医生一起工作。我力图兼顾工作和研究生课程，这（从理论上）让我为日后的繁忙日程做好了准备。尽管我付出了代价，要推迟开始我的职业生涯，但是我学会了如何去追寻我的家庭教我要重视的那种成功。

因此，尽管我很感激叔叔对我的忠告，深知他是想要我过得好，但我还是忍不住要在这里把那条忠告重新改写一下：

钱近乎是万能的，但它绝不是万能的。

1. vibrant [?va?br?nt] adj. 活跃的；有活力的；充满生气的

2. means [mi?nz] n. 金钱，财富，收入

3. medical school：医学院。与中国不同，美国的医学院不招收本科生，学生必须获得本科学位或具有相同学历之后才可以申请进入医学院学习。

4. utilitarian [ju??t?l??te?ri?n] adj. 功利主义的；实利主义的

5. Filipino [?f?l??pi?n??] n. 菲律宾人

6. circuit [?s??（r）k?t] n. 巡回；巡回活动

7. MD-PhD program：医学博士与哲学博士双学位项目（The Doctorate of Medicine and of Philosophy），目的在于培养既具有临床实践能力又具有医学研究能力的复合型人才。

8. coursework [?k??（r）s?w??（r）k] n. 授课型课程

9. Baylor College of Medicine：贝勒医学院，位于休斯敦，被认为是美国最杰出的医学院之一。

10. pass up：拒绝；放弃；放过（机会等）

11. cardiology [?kɑ?（r）di??l?d?i] n. 心脏病学

12. detour [?di?t??（r）] n. 绕行的路；迂回路

13. ballroom dancing：交际舞，交谊舞

14. RESULTS：一家倡导结束贫困的非营利民间组织，旨在通过有效地影响政治决策来使更多人享受教育、健康权利和经济机会。

15. Laredo：拉雷多，美国得克萨斯州南部城市

16. in and of itself：就其本身而言

17. face down：（勇敢、坚定地）降服，挫败，慑服

18. hectic [?hekt?k] adj. 紧张忙碌的；忙乱的