Is a Gap Year in Your Future?
Should you take a gap year? The appeal is understandable. Who wouldn’t want to take a year off to travel, meet new people, volunteer, and learn more about the world outside of their own little bubble. On the other hand, a gap year does mean delaying your education, and possibly your career opportunities for twelve months or longer.
Explore this article to know more facts about a Gap Year. Before making a final decision, perhaps you should review these 15 signs that a gap year would be a good thing for you.
1. When You Think About Your Gap Year, You Have a Plan in Mind
A gap year spent aimlessly is nothing more than wasted time. However, if you have a specific plan in mind that includes goals to be accomplished, volunteer opportunities, and places to visit, you may benefit from a gap year.
2. You Have Been Less than Passionate About School, and it Shows in Your Grades
If you are suffering from academic burn out, a gap year can be just what you need. If your lack of enthusiasm is related to doubt about your career path, you may even find new purpose during your year away from school.
3. You’ve Found a Volunteer Opportunity that you are Passionate About
Sometimes there are opportunities that you simply cannot pass up, especially when these opportunities involve making the world a better place. If you are truly excited about a volunteer opportunity, by all means take a gap year to pursue that passion..
4. Your Resume is too Bare
If you haven’t accumulated a lot of work or volunteer experience, taking a gap year is a great way to fill in those spaces. In addition to this, the life experience you gain is sure to impress future employers.
5. There are Specific Aspects of Your Education that You Wish to Enhance
Maybe a world history class has left you with a passion for Southeast Asian culture. Why not indulge this passion by spending a year volunteering in Vietnam or Cambodia?
6. You’re Unsure of the Path You Want Your Education to Take
There’s nothing wrong with taking a year off to ‘figure things out’, but there’s no excuse for spending that year contributing nothing to the world around you.
7. Your Goals for the Future Involve Interacting with People from Around the World
A gap year spent volunteering in and exploring other countries is a great way to learn about and respect other cultures. This experience will serve you well in future endeavors. Traveling is not so expensive as usually seemed to be see this guide for cutting your travel spends.
8. You Only Know How to Speak One Language
Learning to speak an additional language increases your future job opportunities. If you haven’t picked up a second language in school, try spending a year immersed in a culture that speaks a different language, and you may come home with a serviceable level of fluency.
9. You’re Low on Funds
A gap year doesn’t have to be spent traveling and volunteering. You can also use your year away from college to earn and save money. This can reduce your financial burden for the following year.
10. You’ve Found an Off Campus Opportunity to Help Reach Your Educational Goals
Whether you are a culinary arts student seeking an apprenticeship in a restaurant in France, or a pre-med student who is looking to volunteer at a health clinic in India, you can turn your gap year into an educational opportunity.
11. You Want to Broaden Your Circle
Many people spend their entire lives interacting with, living with, socializing with, and working with people who have the same backgrounds that they do. Traveling and volunteering is a great way to get to know people from other cultures.
12. You’ve Been Granted Delayed Admission to Your Graduate Program
If you have a semester or a year to wait before you can start taking graduate courses, why not spend the year working, traveling, or volunteering?
13. Increased Life Experience will Help You Reach Your Career Goals
There are many careers such as journalism, or travel and tourism in which your life experience may be nearly as valuable as your education. If you are seeking to enter a travel intensive field, it may be beneficial to spend a year abroad.
14. You Did Not Get Accepted to the College of Your Choice
While this is certainly a disappointment, why not take a gap year, engage in some great experiential and educational activities, and apply again in another year? Your experience and accomplishments may tip the scales I your favor!
15. You are as Enthusiastic about the Work of a Gap Year as You are the Fun of it.
This is a clear sign that you will benefit from your gap year experience.
So, are you ready for a gap year? The only person qualified to make that judgment is you! If you believe you would benefit from a year away from school, the opportunities to learn and volunteer are practically limitless.
Article contributed by Andy Preisler
Andy is an inspired blogger at Grab My Essay, experienced with students’ life and expert in content marketing techniques. He has obtained two bachelor degrees in different countries. But now he is concentrating on helping students and working with internet marketing aspects. You may contact Andy on Google+, Facebook or Twitter !
