Why Do A Gap Year? Life Changing Experiences. That's Why.
After graduating high school, I went to Germany and backpacked around Europe. Best decision of my life.
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BY KRISTEN JOKINEN
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APRIL 12, 2017
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After doing that Gap Year, I knew I wanted to make a difference on a global level. I have now finished college with a degree that fits my newfound passion. But every single Gapper’s path is different.
What is a Gapper? A person who takes a year off after high school to get out in the world, to explore more about themselves and the big wide world around them. It's called a Gap Year. A Gap Year is a very common practice for many Europeans, Australians and New Zealanders. Actually, since college is free to students in these countries (let's save that topic for another article), they are usually gifted money from friends and family after high school graduation just for their Gap Year. Cool right? What's even cooler are the experiences these Gappers have in that year and how, at that crucial time when a kid becomes an adult, he or she heads out into the world….not be led but to take the reins.
I can't speak for all Gappers, but I can tell you what taking a Gap Year did for me. I enjoyed high school well enough, but as soon as I graduated, I needed to get away. Get out of the small town I grew up in and get out of the circles. I knew I wanted to go to college, but I had no idea what I wanted to study.
College in the United States is obscenely expensive, so every single class better count. My parents were pushing for me to go right to college. But college for me was just a continuation of rules, schedules, papers, professors and everything I had been doing since, well, preschool? Had it really been that long?
I needed a break; and I saw it in a one-way ticket to Germany. That was when my life changed forever. Now I can bore you for hours about how cool my travel stories are, but I won't. What I will say is that you are not alone if the idea seems impossible and scary. What you need to know is that there are thousands of cool, fun, adventures for everyone: quiet, wild, introverted, extroverted, independent, shy gappers out there just like you.
I know what you’re thinking, "But, I'm not from a rich family". Nor was I. My parents did not support my traveling abroad, and I had to babysit every single weekend for years to save up the money. But you’re in luck!
According to www.americangap.org, in 2015, the American Gap Association Members and Provisional Members gave away a combined total of roughly $2,800,000 in scholarships and needs-based grants. Also, keep in mind, some places are much cheaper to travel in than others (Southeast Asia is much cheaper to travel in than, say, Scandinavian countries). Not all countries are on the US Dollar; there are a lot of places where the dollar exchange goes a long way. Do some research. Book airline flights in off-season times, about 2-3 months in advance, and even during the week...Tuesday or Wednesday tend to be cheaper. It's all possible.
What is a Gapper? A person who takes a year off after high school to get out in the world, to explore more about themselves and the big wide world around them. It's called a Gap Year. A Gap Year is a very common practice for many Europeans, Australians and New Zealanders. Actually, since college is free to students in these countries (let's save that topic for another article), they are usually gifted money from friends and family after high school graduation just for their Gap Year. Cool right? What's even cooler are the experiences these Gappers have in that year and how, at that crucial time when a kid becomes an adult, he or she heads out into the world….not be led but to take the reins.
I can't speak for all Gappers, but I can tell you what taking a Gap Year did for me. I enjoyed high school well enough, but as soon as I graduated, I needed to get away. Get out of the small town I grew up in and get out of the circles. I knew I wanted to go to college, but I had no idea what I wanted to study.
College in the United States is obscenely expensive, so every single class better count. My parents were pushing for me to go right to college. But college for me was just a continuation of rules, schedules, papers, professors and everything I had been doing since, well, preschool? Had it really been that long?
I needed a break; and I saw it in a one-way ticket to Germany. That was when my life changed forever. Now I can bore you for hours about how cool my travel stories are, but I won't. What I will say is that you are not alone if the idea seems impossible and scary. What you need to know is that there are thousands of cool, fun, adventures for everyone: quiet, wild, introverted, extroverted, independent, shy gappers out there just like you.
I know what you’re thinking, "But, I'm not from a rich family". Nor was I. My parents did not support my traveling abroad, and I had to babysit every single weekend for years to save up the money. But you’re in luck!
According to www.americangap.org, in 2015, the American Gap Association Members and Provisional Members gave away a combined total of roughly $2,800,000 in scholarships and needs-based grants. Also, keep in mind, some places are much cheaper to travel in than others (Southeast Asia is much cheaper to travel in than, say, Scandinavian countries). Not all countries are on the US Dollar; there are a lot of places where the dollar exchange goes a long way. Do some research. Book airline flights in off-season times, about 2-3 months in advance, and even during the week...Tuesday or Wednesday tend to be cheaper. It's all possible.
"There is no way my parent's will let me." Well, my parents weren't pumped about me heading off to travel either; but if you've graduated from high school, you’re likely 18; and guess what, an adult! But we love our parents and want to make them happy and keep them on our side. So here is what you tell them, "Mom, Dad, according to (http://online.wsj.com) 90 percent of students who took a Gap Year returned to college within a year and they usually finish in four years (that GY actually saves money!!)…..with a higher GPA than their peers!!!"
Again, this isn't a new concept. Dig around the old internet. There is lots of info out there on how well-rounded kids are after a Gap Year. Read up, then cook your parents a nice dinner, and discuss it. It's likely they will be afraid of the unknown, so maybe let them help you plan. Involve them so there will be less to worry about. Maybe when they see just how excited you are, they will be too. Starting the discussion may be your hardest step, but take it. You may just be surprised at how supportive they are.
"What if I get somewhere and I’m all alone and I hate it?"
Homesickness is totally normal. You have completely uprooted yourself; everything around you is different: food, cultural norms, amenities, language, everything. At home, you have a routine. You know what life is like where you are now; and you can always go back to that. But do you know what you’re missing?
The best thing I did when I started to get homesick, was get off my phone and laptop and get out there and make friends. It's really easy to slip into the comfort of swiping through Facebook to see what all your friends back home are doing. Or look at your Instagram feed and miss what you have left behind. Stop it! This will only keeping you locked in a slump, focused on what you have left behind or might be missing. Once you shut it off, and get outside exploring, that's when you open yourself to this whole wide world and adventures that are ready for you.
Go do a Gap Year. GO! Do it for you. Do it for the future you to look back on. You’ll be incredibly grateful you did.
For Information on Gap Year or How to Do A Gap Year, check out these sites:
American Gap Year
http://www.americangap.org/
https://www.gapyear.com/
Again, this isn't a new concept. Dig around the old internet. There is lots of info out there on how well-rounded kids are after a Gap Year. Read up, then cook your parents a nice dinner, and discuss it. It's likely they will be afraid of the unknown, so maybe let them help you plan. Involve them so there will be less to worry about. Maybe when they see just how excited you are, they will be too. Starting the discussion may be your hardest step, but take it. You may just be surprised at how supportive they are.
"What if I get somewhere and I’m all alone and I hate it?"
Homesickness is totally normal. You have completely uprooted yourself; everything around you is different: food, cultural norms, amenities, language, everything. At home, you have a routine. You know what life is like where you are now; and you can always go back to that. But do you know what you’re missing?
The best thing I did when I started to get homesick, was get off my phone and laptop and get out there and make friends. It's really easy to slip into the comfort of swiping through Facebook to see what all your friends back home are doing. Or look at your Instagram feed and miss what you have left behind. Stop it! This will only keeping you locked in a slump, focused on what you have left behind or might be missing. Once you shut it off, and get outside exploring, that's when you open yourself to this whole wide world and adventures that are ready for you.
Go do a Gap Year. GO! Do it for you. Do it for the future you to look back on. You’ll be incredibly grateful you did.
For Information on Gap Year or How to Do A Gap Year, check out these sites:
American Gap Year
http://www.americangap.org/
https://www.gapyear.com/
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