With North Carolina’s widespread distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, the chances of a return to normalcy at UNCW seemed fairly optimistic. However, such progress came to a halt when UNCW notified students of a COVID-19 cluster in Sandpiper Residence Hall on August 23, 2021. The following day, it was announced that the university would suspend all in-person events and activities that are not related to coursework. On Monday, UNCW extended current guidelines and restrictions until Oct. 15.

Gap years are usually filled with traveling, experiential learning, and work experience. However, COVID-19 has turned our world upside down. Despite the drastic changes we’ve experienced as a result of the pandemic, students opting for gap years is at a record high. According to Fitch Ratings, the annual enrollment is expected to plummet 5-20% nationwide. The question is: Should you take a gap year during these unprecedented times?

“I think that the administrators put in thought for some online courses but not for others. I personally feel like they could have handled things much better by making a decision earlier on whether they were going all online or not,” says Madeline Miller, a UNCW sophomore. “If they made the decision earlier it could have given the teachers and students more time to prep for going online, which could have helped us have a more successful school year.”