[PSY]

People take time off from college/university all the time. It's not necessarily problematic, as long as you use that "off" time wisely! You said you'll have more networking opportunities in California. If that's true, then use your "off" time to find a job that's related to your future line of work, and/or serve as an intern/volunteer with an organization you'd like to work for someday! Some people worry about becoming "rusty" and not knowing how to study after taking more than a year off from college/university. In my opinion, that may be an issue if you're not a proactive or driven person. If you make up your mind to study hard upon returning to college/university, and to utilize the services available to you (e.g., TAs, office hours, tutoring centers), then I'm sure you'll manage to get back into the swing of things. =)