A gap year is a period of time that often lasts up to a year when a student takes a break from education. Commonly, students take a gap year between high school and college, but it can vary. The increasing popularity of taking gap years among students can be explained by the unstable economic situation and the desire to travel, find true passion in life, redecide a major, etc. And while it might be the best decision at the moment, you need to understand that there might be challenges and difficulties that you will have to overcome. And while you might not be fully prepared for them, it’s crucial to understand what you should do in this situation.
The Appeal of a Gap Year
So, as it was said earlier, there might be different reasons why one might want to take a gap year. Finances and the need to create funds for the upcoming college are one of the most common reasons. As the cost of higher education is rising all the time, it is crucial to get as much prepared as you can – and working for a year to save some money might be very helpful.
Another reason is the uncertainty about what you want from life, who you want to be, and even whether you need college at all. Some high school graduates have no clue about which college to pick and how they see their future. Taking some time to explore your inner passion and true interests can help a lot.
And one more reason among the most common ones is that some students fail an opportunity to get into the college they were planning due to some unexpected circumstances or application mistakes, etc. In this situation, some people choose to go to another college, while others wait for another chance to apply.
When considering this decision, many people focus on the potential benefits of a gap year, such as personal growth, career opportunities, cultural immersion, and skill development. But in order to make a wise decision, it’s crucial to be acquainted with both sides.
Common Challenges Faced During a Gap Year
While it might seem that a gap year is full of joy, exploration, positive and important experiences, it might be far from all of it. In order to prevent being truly disappointed with your gap year, you should know how to cope with issues. Let’s take a look at the most common difficulties that you might face during your gap year.
Financial Issues and Budgeting
Financial struggles during a gap year are real. Especially if you are on your own in this journey and have no one supporting you financially. This is the time when you need to learn how to make money and take care of your budget yourself.
If you are traveling, it is easy enough to break your budget and spend more than you can afford which can also lead to poor results. If you want to avoid these mistakes, you need to create a plan with all your necessary expenses written down, so you can plan your spending. You also need a stable source of income and sinking funds, just in case.
Uncertainty and Future Planning
The anxiety some students may feel about postponing formal education or career plans can be pretty tough. It may seem like you are losing or wasting your time while your peers are getting into colleges. Or it may seem like you are the only one who can’t make a decision. However, you need to remember that it is not true, and there are many other students just like you.
There is nothing bad about taking your time to make an important decision. It is also not bad to postpone something that you are not ready for yet, emotionally or financially. That is what you need to remind yourself about whenever you feel down.
Lack of Opportunities During a Gap Year
Sometimes it’s not going as it was planned, and a gap year is no exception. If you were planning on finding great gap year jobs and making the most out of this year, you might find yourself doing nothing and really having no opportunities to grow.
That is not the brightest situation during a gap year, but it’s also not the worst. Be sure to remain positive thinking and keep searching for the best options for you, even if it’s not the job of your dreams or not necessarily in the chosen field. Or you might try other gap year ideas, like educational courses, volunteering, etc.
Lack of Motivation to Continue Education
It might also happen so that you are getting less motivated to actually go back from your break. Maybe you have a lot of fun and don’t want to start classes again, or maybe you are getting too involved in your new job – it all can happen.
Surely, it depends on you whether you should or should not continue, but generally, we would suggest you remind yourself about your goals and your aspirations. College is one of the opportunities everyone should grab because it gives you more in perspective. But it is solely your decision to make.
Embracing Growth and Transformation
While a gap year can be a period of challenges and difficulties, you should remember that overcoming them can lead to self-discovery and personal growth. We all learn from our mistakes, and we all get the experience that makes us a new version of ourselves. That’s why having to cope with challenges is actually not bad.
When taking a gap year, you also get an opportunity to gain knowledge outside of traditional educational settings and try yourself in various scenarios, fields, and settings. You can try different jobs or learn something new while attending courses or gap year programs; you can devote this time to yourself – your health, for example, both mental and physical, or you can simply take a break to rest and get motivated. Anyways, you decide on what you want your gap year to be, and only you can put your effort into making it so.
Transformation and maturing are important phases in anyone’s life. Be sure to focus on important for your future skills and traits, like adaptability, flexibility, patience, teamwork, etc.
Conclusion
A gap year can really become a year of self-discovery, self-improvement, and important experience. The quality of it depends on your goals and your willingness to put effort into achieving them. It is very easy to get distracted from what you really want by all the small things, circumstances, routines, habits, and comfort zones. But you should not forget about your real goals and the reasons why you’ve set them. Wishing you the best of luck!