SeetheWorldDuringaGapYear很多时候，年轻人被寄予的期望就是——循规蹈矩。但是，那颗蠢蠢欲动的心又岂能按捺得住？有年轻人说，之所以想到处走走，是因为希望“在四十年后，五十年后的某一天，回想起青春尾巴上的我，我也可以对自己竖起大拇指，说一句，你丫真牛逼。”是啊，青春不会回头，年轻人：走吧，走吧，人总要学着自己长大……Thissummer,asusual,highschoolgraduatesaresearchingfordormroombedsheetsorlaptopsforcollege.Othersaregettingtheirpassportsinordertoheadoffonakindof2)sabbatical.Agrowingnumberofstudentsaretakingwhat’scalledagapyearafterthey’vebeenacceptedintocollege.Asaself-described3)perfectionistatoneofthebestprepschoolsaroundBoston,JamesClarkdidn’treallysurpriseanyonewhenhegotintoabunchoftopcolleges.Whatwassurprisingwaswhenhewrotebacktohisfirstchoice,sayinghewasn’tcoming,atleastfornoClark:ImeanunlessIturnouttobearock-and-rollstarorsomethinglikethat,youknow,I’llneverhavetimetodowhateveryouwant,andsoIknewthatIhadtoseizethisopportunity.So...Clarksayshedesperatelyneededtimetogetoutofhisbooks,asheputsit,andintotherealworld,soinsteadofhanginghis4)corkboardinhisfreshmandorm,he’soffthisfalltodofieldresearchintheTibetanmountains,martialartsinTian’anmenSquare,and5)scubadivingsomewhereinSouthAmerica.Clarksayshecan’twaittodowhathewantswithoutworryingwhatcollegeswillthink,likehealwayshadtodoinhighschool.Clark:Youcan’tjustsay,oh,youknow,thisiswhatIwanttodo.I’dreviseinmyhead,youknow,saying,“Isthisright?”IwanttodothingsalittlebitdifferentlythanIhavebeendoingthem.GapyearshavelongbeenpopularinEurope.IntheU.S.there’snohardnationaldata,butcolleges,6)consultantsandtravelabroadprogramsallsaymorekidsaredoingit.Forsomekids,thegapyearmeanstimetopursuealongtimepassion.Forothers,likeNicolaRentschler,it’saboutpushingyourselfintonew7)territory.Neverananimalperson,shesignedupto8)rehabwildpenguinsinSouthAfrica.Rentschler:Youhaveto,like,wrangle;youhavetoholdthem.Theybite,theyclaYou’dbesurprisedhowmanywaystheycanactuallyhurtyou.ItwassortofaconfidencethingbecauseIhadtopushmyselfcompletelyoutofmycomfortzone,so...Gapyearsvaryincost.ManykidsworkfirstathometosavethefewthousanddollarstheymayneedtoteachEnglishinPeruforafewmonthsorhelpabeekeeperinFrance.Someparentsarehappytofootthebillforthat,ratherthanletakidwho’snotreadyforcollegewasteafullyear’stuition.Schoolssaykidscomebackfromgapyearsmuchmoremature,readytolearnandself-sufficientthantheyeverwerewhentheygraduatedhighschool.Consultant:Alotofthesekidsarecomingoutwithonlyonesetofskillsandthatishowtobeagoodstudent.Youknow,theyneedtosortofseethatthatdoesn’treallygiveyoulifeskills.Othersworrythatgap-yearprogramswillbecomethe9)exclusiveprovinceofuppermiddleclasskidswhoalreadyheadtocollegewithmanyadvantages.Collegessayagapyeardoesn’thavetobecostly.Studentscouldinternwithastaterepresentativeorworkinanationalserviceprogram,buttheconcernwasenoughthatPrincetonUniversityisplanningtoactually10)subsidizestudentswhospendayeardoingpublicservice.It’shopingtoconvince10%offreshmentotakeayearoffbeforestartingcollege.这一年，我们决定出走这个夏天，像往常一样，高中毕业生们都在为上大学而准备宿舍床单和手提电脑。而另外一些人却在为享受一段休学期而申请护照。有越来越多的学生在获得大学录取后选择过一年所谓的“间隔年”生活。詹姆斯·克拉克自称是个完美主义者，就读于波士顿附近一所最优秀的预科学校。他被多所顶尖的大学录取——这一点并不让人感到意外。让人意想不到的是，他给首选的大学回了...