23 Feb 2020

When I was finishing high school, nobody was keen on gap years.

My school didn’t mention them as an option, my classmates saw them as something that would just slow them down in the race to finish their degree and start their careers and my parents were especially against the idea, deciding they were a waste of time.

I don’t hold it against my ‘rents. They grew up in a time where the best education was only delivered in a classroom and came with a qualification at the end of it. But oh man, I’m so grateful that I didn’t give in to the pressure to jump straight into uni after high school and took a gap year instead; and not just for the fact that I proved my parents wrong (although, I still feel pretty smug that I did).

1. I’ve met people from all walks of life

For me, growing up felt like I was stuck in a bubble. I walked down the same road every day, I caught the same bus, I talked to the same people…

There’s nothing wrong with mundanity and routine, but there is something pretty special about something completely new; walking down different roads, exploring new cities and talking to the wildest, most wonderful people that I never would have met at home.

I’ve met people who know exactly what they want from life and people who have no idea. I’ve met people who have gone through things I couldn’t even imagine and have achieved what I thought was impossible. My empathy has grown exponentially. I met some of my absolute best mates; people that I know will now be by my side for the rest of our lives.

2. I’m more financially aware

Money, money, money…travel forced me to finally get on top of my cash flow.

I learnt how to be finically independent for the first time, working out how to prioritise and budget my spending. When I was thrust into the real world of paying rent, bills and groceries, I was so much more on top of it all than I would be if I didn’t take a gap year because I’d already faced the reality of prioritising where your money goes.

I also learnt the value of spending money on experiences, not things. Travel, especially, is worth the cost. It’s a cliché, but it’s true – travel really is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer.

3. I’ve experienced the world and grown

I’ve seen the poor and the rich. I’ve witnessed sacred rituals and walked through streets dripping in history. I’ve picked up phrases from other languages and learnt different ways of life.

My perspective shifted and my gratitude for the world around me blossomed. If anything, my lust for learning grew and I realised there was so much knowledge out there that couldn’t be taught from a textbook. I remembered what it was like to love learning. Not learning in the form of assignments and exams and writing pages of essays until your hand cramped but actually being excited to find out more about how something worked or the history behind it.

4. I felt like I could finally answer the question ‘so, what are you doing after high school?’

When I finished high school, I was terrified. I had spent the past thirteen years behind a desk and hadn’t even started to consider what I was passionate about or what I was meant to do with my life.

Turns out, travelling is one of the best ways to clear your head and finally start to get a picture for what’s next. When you’re in school, you’re constantly bombarded with tests, assignments, marks and rankings which doesn’t leave a lot of time to figure out what you’re actually interested in. A lot of us dive headfirst into the first degree or job that pops up and then end up burnt out.

But, if you give yourself some space to breathe by going travelling, you come back with a much better idea of who you are and what you want to spend your time doing; whether that be an apprenticeship, studying, starting a business or anything else in between.

And, because you’re actually ready for it and want to get started, you’re a lot more likely to stick it out than if you’d made a rash decision straight outta school.

5. It made me more employable

The workforce has changed and we need to be able to stand out when applying for a job – a legitimate way to overcome this for some is to take a gap year, as employers are starting to value travel as an employable experience. Jetting off around the globe gave me a different world view, the confidence to take on new opportunities and a tonne of other skills I never would have developed in a classroom – like ‘interpersonal skills’ (a direct line from my resume).

Reckon a gap year is sounding pretty good? It’s worth checking out Contiki – they’re experience orientated without you going through the hassles and struggles of sorting out the nitty-gritty details. One of the best bits is their ‘Contiki Cares’ initiatives which are all about sustainable travel protecting communities, wildlife and the planet. So not only is travel good for you, it’s good for the earth as well.  

No matter what your travel style is, Contiki will guarantee that you have the best possible gap year. So, go on. Prove your parents wrong. Check out all the info and register your interest over here.