Malia Obama’s decision to wait a year before going to college is bringing new attention to “Gap Years.” A gap year is when a student takes a year off after high school to do volunteer service, travel, or work before starting college. The White House announced on Sunday that President Barack Obama’s oldest daughter will wait until the fall of 2017 to start classes at Harvard University in Massachusetts. The announcement led to lots of news stories about “gap years.” Some observers think her decision might lead other high school graduates to wait a year before continuing their studies. “It is going to be the biggest thing ever for gap year programs in the United States,” said Joe O’Shea, director of undergraduate research at Florida State University. Harvard University urges students to consider taking a gap year to get some much-needed rest before entering college. “Many of us are concerned that the pressure on today’s students seems far more intense than those placed on previous generations,” said a message on Harvard’s website.