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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.

 

Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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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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chensnow

chensnow

Taiwan

I went to work after finishing college life of two years, and until now I have worked for nearly three years.  So I can't realize what the feeling people do who work first for some years after graduating from high school and then went back to school.  But anyway, I think that people who be students with the same age classmates must be better communicate with each other, and in this way, it will be less lags from others.  But the other choice can be good for mind strong, and also for the happiness of studing.

09:26 AM Mar 16 2008 |

askim

askim

Germany

One is never too old to learn ;)

07:36 AM Mar 16 2008 |

jesslyn24

jesslyn24

Malaysia

Well i think that persuing studies after completing high school
is better as in our mind studying is still going consistently.

07:29 AM Mar 16 2008 |

beloved19111983

Viet Nam

at the moment I have not any idea what. but I think that A person has a own life . in viet nam after finishing college a lot of students can not have a job and they have to work past time to live . that is a actually sorry

07:19 AM Mar 16 2008 |

thao lam

Viet Nam

06:28 AM Mar 16 2008 |

thao lam

Viet Nam

Dear Devan

My name's Thao. I'm Vietnames.

I want to share with you about time of before college.

You know. After leave high school I began to work as a worker. and 8 years later i came back university.

When i began, it very hard because i forgot my knowledges in high school. Several month later i catch up the rest of the class. And now i had graduate university.

I hope you will try. It very hard but you should overcome.

Good luck.

My english not good. I'm trying. Please understand me.

06:23 AM Mar 16 2008 |

ca_2008

Brazil

I think that sometimes the break it's necessary, mainly when the student doens't know what the career that would like to follow. In Brazil, many times to stop after finish high school became necessary because the student doesn't have money to continues. So he starts to work and some years after he goes to college.

06:14 AM Mar 16 2008 |

lihongzhai

lihongzhai

China

I am freshmen to this lesson~

02:11 AM Mar 16 2008 |

zhangmin220

China

"knowledge is power" i like this sentence .i think it contains two meanings .knowledge not only things from subject,but also things from practice.To attend to university or to go for a job ,it all depends yourself .Your future is on your hanp><a href="http://www.englishbaby.com/" target="_blank">English Lessons</a> by English, baby!</p>
 
d,the best thing is you must trust yourself,or you will regret .Smile

02:04 AM Mar 16 2008 |

sohi

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I think it depends on the situation that some one has at the time when finishes the high school. In my country actually it is difficult to enter the univesity long after highschool.

01:14 AM Mar 16 2008 |

830521bin

China

I think it's good .People will usually treasure the choice to studay.I 'm just one of this kind of people. I want to go to college. the hope is strong. 

01:13 AM Mar 16 2008 |

zhangmin220

China

i think  different people have a differnt   view.how to choose it all depends you,because your life is on your hand.no matter what will happen fllows as long as you think it is your way .thanks!!!

01:11 AM Mar 16 2008 |

vanillahe

vanillahe

China

maybe schoolwork is harsh,, but when people out of school to find a job,, they’ll be finally realize that school life is such a life like in paradise…
and the friends that you make are probably the most sicere…
though i’m still a college student,, i begin to miss the pass two years of my school life…

12:10 AM Mar 16 2008 |

jalics

jalics

China

in   my personal  view,it's better to  start your college as soon as you finish your high school.maybe it's the best choice in  China.

firstlly ,i think we have age edge comparing wath other students,and we can have more time to earn money ,to have enough money to enjoy our live.do you think so ?but if we want to abroad,perhaps we should make money by ourselves.do you think so?

but in some Europe countries,it's  common that people coninue there univercity  after some years time off.as different situations  in different countris,we can have different choices,don't we ?

10:40 PM Mar 15 2008 |

whiteflower8080

Jordan

I think it is better to go to college after high school, because some of students who go to work , find some difficulties to come back again. as well as miss your classimate.

but if there is no way to study immeditely due to financial issues, lake of experience, or something like that. then I prefer going to work.

 

09:27 PM Mar 15 2008 |

lfx20080808

China

now,i am a college student.i often see my beautiful life at high school.it is memorable.when i remember that period,i smile ,i cry.it is interesting.life is nice ,i love to be alive.

08:32 PM Mar 15 2008 |

lfx20080808

China

now,i am a college student.i often see my beautiful life at high school.it is memorable.when i remember that period,i smile ,i cry.it is interesting.life is nice ,i love to be alive.

08:30 PM Mar 15 2008 |

xiaowugui

xiaowugui

China

i  am  a  student  in chain college . i donnot  think  it is suit me  . i am a person who abide by the law aand behave myself.  although my family condition  is not well , i still like going  to college. just to do  well and enjoying  the college life

i

08:08 PM Mar 15 2008 |

zxwang62

zxwang62

China

For my own part, every coin has two sides!

05:35 PM Mar 15 2008 |

Lidia_partner

Brazil

I actually have to manage doing both, like many other kids here in my country.

04:19 PM Mar 15 2008 |

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