THINKING ABOUT TAKING A GAP YEAR?
hi folks! as most of you will know, i’m currently taking a gap year. i’ve received so many questions about this (mostly asking me for advice) so i thought i’d just gather all the questions and the information i’ve gathered and make a little guide about it all! :-) i’ll be going through why i’m taking one, the advantages and disadvantages and what i’ve learned so far!
first thing’s first: what is a gap year? according to the cambridge dictionary, the definition is as follows: ‘a year between leaving school and starting university that is usually spent travelling or working.’ most people will take a year out before starting uni, but it’s also often taken to prevent a burn out or stress from overwork in later years. the reasons for taking a year out before starting uni vary, but the most common reason is to have fun and explore the world before getting down to some serious studying. as a result of this, young people will have a chance to get to know themselves, and the world around them, a lot better. in general it’s seen as a positive thing, although the opportunity can be wasted if the year is spent being lazy and not doing anything interesting.
► why did i decide to take a gap year?
i made a post about this back in july (2016), but i’ll briefly explain this again. in my case, there were a few reasons why i decided to take a gap year instead of going straight to uni after graduating. the first being that the course i want to do is super expensive compared to the normal courses in my town, so my parents wanted me to work and save money to pay for it myself! since i really want to do the course, i totally didn’t mind the idea of working for a year and saving up the money. the second is that i was only 17 when i graduated, so i’d be moving to barcelona at a really young age to study there. that was something my parents and i weren’t so sure about (considering my age). a few other factors are that i wanted to finish my musical education before leaving, i wanted to have some fun and travel a little before studying and that i wanted to feel really ready for the move.
► should you take a gap year?
i get asked a lot by my followers if i think they should also take one, and i honestly think it’s way too personal to let anyone else decide! you need to think of the reasons why you would want/ need to take a year out first. i suggest you make a list of reasons why and reasons not to. if one list has better reasons, go with that one! i also suggest you talk to your family, teachers or anyone else you know taking one/ or has taken one. but if you need a little more help, i’ve made a little list of the advantages and disadvantages that you can take a look at below.
► what are the advantages?
there are so many so i’ll try my best to list them all!
you don’t have to study: for some people this is a huge advantage. if you’re not too keen on studying, taking a gap year provides a nice long break to enjoy before going to uni to study even harder.
you can do the things you couldn’t as a student: think about it: you have a whole year to do whatever you want to! as a student you’re bound to certain activities like going to school, studying, etc. now you’re not in school you can travel or pick up a hobby you didn’t have the time for/ the money for/ or just plain couldn’t before!
you can experience the working world before your peers: this is an advantage i regard really highly. i’ve been working for almost 8 months now, and i have discovered so many things about the working world that i wouldn’t have otherwise known. you’ll find out how to find real jobs/ go to interviews/ etc before any of your peers. and with that comes the money.
→ money: if you choose to work. you’ll be payed good money depending on the job, and with that money you’ll be able to travel or buy things you couldn’t before! you can save it for later life too, which will help you out a lot in the long run.
you’ll get to know yourself better: if all your friends decide to go to uni, you’ll probably not be able to spend all that much time with them anymore, leading to you being alone more often. but don’t worry! this can be a really good thing. you’ll get to know yourself better, and by working/ travelling/ picking up a hobby you can really work on yourself. i found that high school really messed up my ideas of myself by trying to fit in. you really get the chance to look after yourself better and to nurture your true nature and personality more.
► what are the disadvantages?
when there are advantages, there will always be some disadvantages!
you will feel a little isolated sometimes: if you don’t know anyone else taking a gap year, it’s very likely you’ll feel slightly isolated at times. friends going to school or uni will have a very different schedule than you, so you won’t always be able to hang out with them. this is very easily remedied by keeping yourself busy and active though!
you might get out of the habit of studying: because you won’t be in school or taking a course, you might find yourself getting out of the old habit of studying. i noticed how fast my hand got tired when writing for example! this isn’t a huge problem, because you can always keep your habits alive by following online courses or learning a new language for fun!
you might become less motivated: this sort of ties in with the previous point, but it’s possible you’ll notice yourself get lazier and lose motivation. the habit of routinely studying and doing your assignments won’t really be necessary during a gap year, so it might be hard for you to get back into the swing of things later on.
That’s it! Hopefully this was helpful to some of you! :-)
things i learned during my gap year
how to start studying infographic
handy apps for economics students
five easy steps to becoming a better you
dealing with lazy groupmembers
studying and gaming: playlists and soundtracks
how to be less prickly when stressed
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