Linus Yamane, Professor of Economics

Linus Yamane talks about the decision to stay in college and continuing your education.

Transcript:

My name is Linus Yamane, professor of economics here at Pitzer College. Earlier this year, I might have recommended taking a gap semester during this pandemic. But my sense now is that this pandemic will be the new normal for quite a while, and you should probably move along with your education. We would all prefer not to be online but that may not be realistic for another year or two. Numbers in the US and in the world are heading in completely the wrong direction. It’s good to recognize that for every gain, there is a loss and for every loss, there is a gain. There are certainly some aspects of this online education which are superior to our normal in-person education, aspects which I hope to maintain even after we return to in-person education.

If you’re thinking about taking a gap semester, you should think carefully about what you hope to accomplish. Usually, some educational travel during a gap semester is worthwhile. Unfortunately, travel is not a realistic option during this pandemic. And when you’re looking for jobs after graduation, employers will want to know what you did during the pandemic. They will not question the decision to stay in school. So, you want to have something worthwhile to show for any time off.

Please feel free to contact me if you want to chat about economics, Pitzer College or anything for that matter. Please be well and stay safe.