Comments on: The Benefits of a Gap Year

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:29:01 +0000

I’m currently a freshman in college, and I took a gap year last year. I would encourage anyone to seriously consider taking time off. I didn’t do anything exotic during my time off, yet it was such a good experience. You can learn so much just by taking a break from the standard routine and thinking for yourself. When you’re not doing something simply because it’s the norm, you realize the significance of things to a much greater degree. Getting out of the artificial environment of traditional education will give you a lot more clarity when you think about who you are, and who you want to become. As Socrates said, “the unexamined life is not worth living”. A gap year is a great time to examine your life and form goals for the future. If you do end up taking a year off, I would encourage you to actively continue your education throughout your gap year. Also, don’t fall into the trap of complacency, continue to challenge yourself constantly. As long as your purpose in taking a gap year is not to live responsibility-free under your parents roof, I’m sure that you will find your time off to be quite the rewarding experience.

By: Debby

Debby — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 11:20:39 +0000

Nice article! I could not agree more. I am the Co Founder of http://www.xtreme-gap.com. For everyone out there looking for a gap year full of adrenaline, check out our programmes

By: So You Want My Job: Peace Corps Volunteer | The Art of Manliness

So You Want My Job: Peace Corps Volunteer | The Art of Manliness — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:03:28 +0000

[...] been looking for some way to give back to the world, need an idea for how to spend your gap year, or are looking for a satisfying adventure, the Peace Corps is definitely worth checking out. [...]

By: 100 Tips, Tools, and Guides for Taking a Gap Year Before College – Online Degree Programs.org: Top Online Degrees

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:19:46 +0000

[...] The Benefits of a Gap Year. Geared at young men, but applicable to anyone, this article discusses why a gap year may be important and offers several specific and unique opportunities. [...]

By: Sohrab

Sohrab — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 10:54:24 +0000

i hav been planning to do a gap year for quite sometime now…!! 23, jus graduated with a cushy IT job,i rili feel the need to develop more maturity before i move for further education/job ….!! heres how i plan to spend my gap year which i is supposedly from september to july next year.

the initial 6 months :-fitness training,learning german and getting better on my drumset and travelling occasionaly within india…..oops i forgot scuba diving
the next 3 months:- work abroad on some internship and use that time to travel and explore
the last 1-2 months:-getting back to the education/job and preparing for that

The few concerns i face are :-
1)how to fund the gap year and travelling
2)the impact of the gap year while looking for a job on coming back

ny suggestions ??

By: Katanga

Katanga — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:24:32 +0000

Between High School and College, I lived at home, worked for 7 months, then took my earnings and traveled through Europe and the Middle East for five months. It was awesome, and as a result, I started college with a real sense of having accomplished something. Plus, I had much more physical confidence and a greater sense of resourcefulness, having taken care of myself, done my laundry, fed and supported myself in places where I couldn’t even speak the language. One of the best things I ever did.

By: R. J. Vincent

R. J. Vincent — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 02:14:59 +0000

I took a couple of years off after bombing something fierce in college. I wasn’t the best student in the world. I wish I had joined the USAF like I had thought about in high school but a severe sprain (which left permanent tendon damage) put the kibosh on that idea. I got a business degree worked a couple of jobs and then went back and got a degree in graphic design. Got a job in that field for a large telecommunications company but I found that I hated working for corporate America so I now sell (not a lot yet) my designs from my website. Haven’t made much yet but it gives me the flexibility to be the sole caretaker for my mom, who’s elderly and has some health issues. I had to man up after my dad died and after some rough patches, things are pretty much okay and I handle paying her bills and managing her investment accounts with our financial adviser. Believe me, having to take care of an elderly parent makes you man up fast and big time. Great article.

By: Helen

Helen — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:24:46 +0000

Great article. I work for a youth and education charity called Raleigh International. Raleigh runs adventurous and challenging expeditions for people of all backgrounds, ages and nationalities usually on a gap year or career break. I hear great feedback on a daily basis from people who have learned skills for life, made new friends and seen things they would never see as a tourist. Check Raleigh out if you are looking for something challenging, educational and fun!

http://www.raleighinternational.org/our-expeditions or check out gapyear.com or yearoutgroup.org for a whole list of other organisations and gap year advice

By: Jon Cassidy

Jon Cassidy — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:00:09 +0000

I’m writing from the UK. Gap years have been slowly becoming a rite of passage for many school leavers over here, with employers and universities giving much more importance to their benefits in their applicants. The same principle stands as with anything you do, it does need to be worthwhile and well planned. Whether this means you do some volunteering, work experience or an expedition put together by an organisation, or if you just plan it all yourself, either are fine, as long as you can show how you have grown in experience or maturity because of it.

If anyone is thinking of doing any volunteering or aid work, and you are looking for an organisation to sort it out for you, it is crucial make sure you do plenty of research. There are some fantastic projects out there but there are also some which are perhaps there more for the volunteers “experience” rather than any real benefit for the project. No one wants to travel half way round the world to work on a project which isn’t worthwhile, or that they are actually not suitably qualified for.

There is a very good independent website – http://www.ethicalvolunteering.org – which gives some guidance as to the sort of questions people should ask any volunteer organisation before committing to a project, well worth a look.

There is so much to do out there, and so many options. Do take the time to research and plan though.

By: Sean

Sean — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:19:06 +0000

I like the idea of a gap year, in fact I liked it so much I’ve taken about 9 of them.

The problem I saw was that after just six months on my own I matured so much that college felt like such a step back. I had fallen into a professional job where I had sophomore and junior interns from USC working for me. At that point, I didn’t any longer know why I needed to go to college. It wasn’t until I was about 23 that I really learned I needed to go, by that time though, it was too late. To go back to college I would have to do night classes or continuing ed, but could never go and get drunk at a frat and hook up with cheerleaders… and really if you can’t do that, what’s the point of going to college?

So I say take the gap, but make sure you don’t let it go any longer than that. Or else you could be me.

By: Peter

Peter — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:51:55 +0000

Interesting. Guess many folks don’t have families, don’t have parents needing help, and for the most part didn’t have an idea of what they wanted to do anyway. My experience based on folks I knew who took “gap years” is that the majority never went back to school, never went anywhere, then got stuck in menial jobs and didn’t do much to improve or distinguish themselves.
I have no issue if you want to take a year off, but I don’t see why you can’t do it as part of schooling. I had opportunities in college to intern over the summer or during semesters in other countries, and my kids want to do so and I’m encouraging them to do so. To me a year or two off *is* an indulgence if all you’re doing is blowing time sitting in one place sucking beers, not contributing, and not looking forward to anything.

By: The Simple Dollar Weekly Roundup: Dominion Edition | Rich Dad Poor Dad Blog

The Simple Dollar Weekly Roundup: Dominion Edition | Rich Dad Poor Dad Blog — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:30:35 +0000

[...] they didn’t invest. Seemed to work for them… (@ newsweek via seth’s blog) The Benefits of a Gap Year A “gap year” – or a year of following other activities and interests between high [...]

By: The Simple Dollar Weekly Roundup: Dominion Edition | Design Website Blog

The Simple Dollar Weekly Roundup: Dominion Edition | Design Website Blog — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:02:08 +0000

[...] The Benefits of a Gap Year A “gap year” – or a year of following other activities and interests between high school and college – is something I really believe in, and this article sets the case strongly for it. I think a year or two of real-world experience makes college much more worthwhile for many students. (@ art of manliness) [...]

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:10:40 +0000

I’m 41 years old, and went the high school to college to the workplace route. While I am very happy with my life, I would have LOVED the opportunity and adventure a gap year would have provided. I wish I read this article 23 years ago.

By: Nathan Gilmer

Nathan Gilmer — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:29:02 +0000

@Jack – What is so wrong with not coming back to school? I think our society is way to obsesses with school. Sometimes its fine to just start working.