Bridge the gap

Despite the name, gap years can last from a couple of weeks to several years – do your research and you can ensure your ‘time out’ goes with the minimum of fuss.

BY Hazel Murray

Planning your gap year can be one of the most exciting and stressful things you have ever done.

In contrast to getting ready for university, where you are fed instructions on how to find accommodation and make new friends, taking a gap year involves a multitude of choices.

There are a variety of companies out there helping students make the most of their time away; they offer everything from volunteering in Africa to working on summer camps in America. Planning through a company is not always necessary, but can reduce some of the pressure and stress on you.

Travelling can give people the confidence to take the next step into further education after exploring the world and realising what they want to get out of it, as well as enhancing university and job applications.

Diana Mote is a second-year university student, but during her gap year she joined a company for three months that specialises in volunteering abroad.

She said, “I met some incredible people from Costa Rica, Hong Kong and even Scotland.

“The change in diet was hardest to adapt to but it’s part of the experience so you have to embrace it”.

A gap year isn’t always about charity work however; being an intrepid explorer can boost your career prospects in other ways. Student Minky Loh, 20, took her gap year on impulse, “I got into university but felt there was something telling me that the timing was wrong.

“So instead I started to look for work experience abroad.”

Working abroad can show future employers your dedication to a subject field, as well as giving you skills to work with other cultures. With the economic crisis seemingly relentless, sparkling up a CV by showing employers that you are different is vital, and work experience gap years can weigh the scales in your favour.

You may view your gap year as an opportunity to save up money and ease financial stresses for when you arrive at university; or maybe you just want a break from education – that’s understandable too! Becky Morris, now 21 and studying journalism, used a gap year to make as much money as possible and spend time with her family before going to university.

Get started by connecting with people through online forums who can offer invaluable advice about the places you want to go and what to expect – or even just ideas for what to do.

If travelling, you need to be thinking about your budget – whether you need to get a job, or have savings that you are willing to spend. Think about visas, insurance… and that fear of injections might have to go too.

It may be a case of making the most of the summer before you go to university – it doesn’t always require a year out. The most important thing is to plan. You don’t want to turn up to a youth hostel in New York and find out it’s been closed for a year – do your research!

Images courtesy of Gap 360 Ltd.