The ‘Gap Year’ is filled with so many different connotations. There’s the one where you imagine yourself backpacking around the world, likening yourself to Bear Grills. Then there’s the one where you are constantly working and eating out of your parents’ fridge. Or there’s the idea where you’re just sat doing nothing. Well, this blog post is designed to break those stereotypes and give you an idea of what you could do if you’re considering a gap year!
1. Working – it is the obvious one, and most people do take a year out to earn lots of money. It is a great idea, either to build up cash for university or decide what you want to do in the future. Spending your gap year working can be a great way to fill those CV gaps if you lack the experience needed for your dream job. However, don’t purely focus on working. Yes, it provides great life skills and the money to buy that occasional takeaway, but there are other ways to get experience that working a million hours at your local supermarket.
2. Blogging – this is one of the ways to get that experience without having to bust a gut for it! Blog about what you love, whether that be: games, books, food, clothes etc. This is a great way to start thinking about your passions and maybe turning it into a career. It’s also an excellent way to show employers that you are dedicated, have time management skills and are excellent at written communication.
3. Part-time courses – maybe you’ve always wanted to learn Spanish, or you and your mom have dreamed about going to pottery classes together? Well, the gap year is an excellent time to learn something new. You don’t have to learn new skills just because it’ll benefit you in future employment, you can do something new to better yourself and to take care of your mental wellbeing. Taking some time out and learning a new skill can help you focus and can be a way to relieve stress.
4. Travelling – another obvious one, but the trickiest of the three. Everyone wants to travel, and the gap year is the perfect time to do that. But if you’re not careful, you can spend your whole year just thinking about travelling, and not actually doing it. You will need to plan in advance, are you going alone or with friends? Where are you going? What are you going to do when you’re out there? Do you need accommodation, food, visas, vaccinations? All of this will need to be planned, so if your heart is set on venturing around the world then start your research a couple of months before you start your gap year. a great website would be to look at gapyear.com.
5. Volunteering – another way of getting experience. This can also go hand in hand with travelling too. If you want to travel, but don’t have the money to get there, then volunteering might be your answer. Great websites to check out are: goabroad.com and projects-abroad.co.uk!
Charlotte Brindley | Careers Ambassador | YSJ