I took a year off after the first yea of uni. started out in fine arts, then really quickly realized it wasnt what i wanted. planned to go right into a photojournalism program right after,but instead decided not to come home from nz instead. best decision i've ever made. I wasnt able to defer my place, but it just meant i had to re apply the next year, which wasnt a big deal. spent that whole year traveling nz, cambodia, laos, vietnam and thailand and being a ski bum at home. again, best decision i ever made.
Going back to school was a bit of an adjustment, but after the first month I was back in the swing of everything. i'm finishing up the photojournalism thing now, then going on to a communications degree with a minor in political science. my advice: if you don't have a very good idea of what you want to study, take some time off. and even then, if you get into it and end up hating it, DONT just stay in it for the hell of it. get out, find something you're really interested in, and things will go much more smoothly.