21 Nov 2017

If your school was anything like mine, a gap year was never on the cards. Heading to uni straight after Year 12 was pretty much the only option presented to me and my friends, so we never even considered whether a gap year was a good idea. But times are changin’, more and more schools are embracing the opportunities that a gap year can give you and the options for what you can actually do on a year off are pretty much endless.

1. You don’t know what you want to do

A gap year is a pretty solid idea if you don’t know what you want to do at uni. A lot of people fall into the trap of just picking a course–any course–so they have something to jump into after high school.

While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing (after all, if you’re certain you want to be studying there’s no harm in starting before you lose the study vibe and later switching courses if you change your mind), there’s definitely something to be said for taking time off to figure things out. Getting away from the high school bubble and out into the world can give you a bit of clarity when it comes to the next step.

2. You’re burnt out

Those last few years of high school are hectic–in the best and worst ways possible. You’re juggling the stress of exams and assignments with the fear and excitement that comes with it all being nearly over which means it’s completely understandable if you want to take a break from studying. Kick starting your degree when you’re still struggling to recover from Year 12 can make you even more de-motivated to study (especially if you start getting your marks back and see that you’re barely scraping through with passes).

Accepting an offer and deferring for a year is always an option and you won’t have to stress about losing your place in the course while you get your head together. Plus, stats show that deferring for a year means you’ll perform better than those that enter straight from school (we’ll admit, it’s pretty old data but I think we can all agree that if you’ve pushed yourself too hard, you deserve a bit of a break).

3. You don’t want to go to uni

A very valid choice–maybe you don’t want to go to uni at all, but you’re still not sold on what your plan is actually going to be. Taking a gap year, whether it be travelling, working or volunteering, is a solid option. It’ll give you a chance to try new things, figure it all out and decide what direction you want to head in. Just don’t let yourself get stuck in a rut–it’s fun at the start to hang around at home all day, everyday, but eventually you’ll need to get into gear and find something to do.

4. You want to grow

Chances are, for the past 13 years you’ve been surrounded by the same people, lived in the same house and stayed in the same neighbourhood. Maybe you’ve been on a couple of family holidays, but other than that, you haven’t been out and had a look at the world. If you want to get some life experiences tucked under your belt, a gap year is a way to do it.

Jump on a plane, settle into a full time job or figure out what voluntary positions are available and use it to your advantage. Now is a time to build character and a gap year is one of the best ways to do it (especially if you can find a way to get out of your parents house while you do it).

At the end of the day there are plenty of good reasons to have a gap year and these are just a few. It’s up to you decide if a gap year is a good idea for you, but to help you out, sus out the gap years we’ve got available over here.