What happens when students take a break in their degree program
?
By Megan Steigerwald
CCC Journalism Program
Jess Price is a communications major at Camden County College. She started at CCC after graduating from high school and found out she needed to take a break to reassess her priorities. “I was partying all the time and failing out of school. Also I started working full time and didn’t make time for school” said Price.
Price took a total of five years off, returning for a semester before committing to complete her degree.
Jeremy Guise is a graphic design major at CCC. who also started at CCC right after graduating high school. Family issues and work prompted him to take a break.
“I needed enough money to buy a car since I didn’t have any transportation. I was also a caretaker for my grandfather during his time of need” he said. Guise ended up taking a year off from school.
For some students it is difficult to be focused on school when they return from a break, but Price and Guise find that they are both more focused now than when they started their academic career at CCC.
“I feel that I am more focused. Sometimes you need that time off to mature and take school more seriously. Once you get into the workforce, you realize that you need a degree to be able to have a career. Also I know I have a job that will pay for me to go to school so there aren’t really any excuses not to go back” said Price.
Guise is in the process of an internship that he needs to complete his degree. “This experience has given me real world experience to prepare me for life, which has helped me take school and life more seriously”, he said.