Mantas, beach sunsets, and random side-quests are what anyone who opened my insta story would’ve seen last year. Many friends and peers have confused my time away traveling with a study abroad, but alas it was a LOA (Leave of Absence). I’ve been back on campus since last spring, and I am so incredibly happy to be back. Now I want to reflect on my experience and offer pieces of advice from my adventure.
I learned that you’re allowed to step away from Olin for a semester, and what you do doesn’t have to be career or academic focused. Have you ever wanted to try something random? Wanted to spend a few months doing something new? Or just needed to get away from engineering for a little bit? Those are all valid reasons to take an LOA – and the beauty of it is that Olin is still waiting for you when you come back. (Small side-note: if it’s more than a semester it’s considered a withdrawal.)
Why did I do it? Two reasons: 1.) I needed a break from Olin. While I’ve never regretted coming here, I knew that being awaythat being away would allow me to come back a lot happier. 2.) I’ve always wanted to solo travel and dive a lot, and that is exactly what I did. I primarily traveled around Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore, but also visited Hong Kong and Malaysia.
How well was this planned? Well, I decided on my LOA in the middle of sophomore fall, which was early, but the plans themselves were very loose. I locked in my divemaster (professional scuba certification that allows you to lead certified divers and work in the industry) for a specific timeframe, but everything afterwards was up to the wind. This truthfully was a little scary, however that flexibility is how I spent two weeks at a resort for free, hitched a ride on a liveaboard boat, met fellow Germans that I stuck with for a few days, and many other little adventures. My only real anchor was my flight home on December 24th and that flexibility was incredibly freeing.
We are all chasing insane timelines and employability – I am guilty of it too – and yet, taking a break may actually be helpful. I spent two months in Indonesia completing my divemaster, falling asleep to the sound of the ocean, learning to drive a moped on the wrong side of the road, sharing meals with strangers, getting small second degree burns (yes, really and yes, it was a stupid reason), and tearing up when Country Roads played. Stepping back didn’t set me behind; it reconnected me with my curiosity.
We all chose Olin – a nontraditional school where we chart our own paths. Once here, you don’t have to stop choosing that nontraditional path. We are all well-rounded people with interests beyond engineering, and I encourage you to keep exploring them.
An LOA is not an exit; it is a temporary pause. This article is not to encourage you to take one, but to remind you of a non-traditional path.of a non-traditional path. You can learn to farm, or hike the PCT, or travel, or pursue some other side-quest or or or or… the options are endless. There are financial and logistical hurdles of taking an LOA – it is not a path everyone can take without careful planning. But if it’s something you yearn for, check in with campus resources early to see what’s possible for you and your situation. I’m also always happy to talk about my experience :)
