COLUMBUS, Ohio — Aleecya Sims always knew she wanted to be a psychologist.
During the school year, you could find Sims studying in the nooks and crannies of The Ohio State University union.
“I pride myself on finding the little spots to study,” said Sims.
Aleeyca Sims.
Now, she uses these same spaces to find jobs in her field. She graduated in May with a bachelor’s in psychology, but realized before graduation that there’s more to life than a degree.
“In the past, I’ve been very stubborn about what I’ve wanted to do outside of college, but I feel like this last year really taught me I have skills that are applicable to other areas, and I should pursue those and see if those fit as well,” said Sims.
Going to school during a pandemic was no easy feat. Foundry 10, an education research organization, found that in the 2020-21 academic year, students were anxious and frustrated. The frustration Sims felt this past fall led to her decision to take a gap year.
“I wanted to make sure that I could give myself a breather, and I’ve been constantly in school since kindergarten, and I realized this is the first time that I get to make that decision for myself,” said Sims.
Roughly 20% of students took a gap year last year and experts believe that trend will stay steady over the next coming years. In her gap year, she hopes to put her knowledge to the test. She wants to work with kids and gain field experience.
“I hope that I can gain the tools so I can effectively serve each child in their specific ways versus trying to make a one-size-fits-all for everyone,” said Sims.
Sims plans to go to graduate school in a couple of years, but hopes to work with kids in the meantime.
