Parents sometimes scoff at the idea of a gap year when their kids bring up the topic. To some, it’s an excuse to party, slack off and do nothing for 12 months.
Let’s rewind for a second and see things from their perspective. They’ve spent most of their young adult lives going to school, studying and finding themselves.
Whether planning on furthering their education or entering the workforce, there’s no time to pause and just be. A gap year could be the perfect starting point to press the reset button.
If you’re not wild about letting your kid take a break for a year, read further…
Finding Purpose
School can be an overwhelming experience. Students often find themselves struggling to adjust to life outside academia. Others suffer from depression, anxiety or other mental health disorders.
Licensed counselor Rob Danzman says sometimes the most powerful solution is a change of scenery or context. A gap year can encompass volunteer work overseas or backpacking to far-flung places.
Danzman notes that some gap years concentrate on study-abroad programs. The break from traditional education prevents burnout and provides valuable life lessons like personal responsibility and self-awareness.
Encourage them to jot down their frazzled thoughts in a notebook. Journaling does wonders for the soul.
These days, online stores have a variety of personalized notebooks, from bold and beautiful colors to vertical and horizontal layouts.
For a touch of aesthetic appeal, notebooks and planners are available with new decorative weekly planners and feature your favorite florals. Add custom events to appeal to your weekly planning.
Plum Paper suggests customizing the cover and including add-ons to make it unique.
Feeling Inspired
University of North Carolina researchers Dale Schunk and Maria DiBenedetto believe that having an example helps people change their lives.
According to their research, we feel empowered and motivated by observing and comparing ourselves against the success of others. While the concept of the gap year is nothing new, the action of taking it is not as well known.
The most reasonable answer could be being inspired by others who share their gap year experiences and learn from them.
Employability
The traditional gap year has evolved. What used to be cheap backpacker hotels and stale baguettes has become a call to travel and work responsibly and ethically.
National Geographic reports that students are more inclined to volunteer and take on meaningful jobs to make their resumes more attractive. The current trend leans towards vocational or educational trips.
The State of Student and Youth Travel in 2024 report also made a few interesting observations.
About 79% of students said they would embark on a gap year, the main purpose of being more employable. Another 86% would volunteer on a project related to their ideal career path.
College Ready
When Arjun Rajan graduated high school, his dream was to attend the university of his choice. Instead, he fell short of the admission requirements.
Rajan was left with the difficult decision of going to another institution or reapplying the following year. He bit the bullet and took a gap year.
During the break, he tells Study International he learned to code, traveled solo and embarked on two internships. It was the best decision he ever made.
With another shot at applying to his preferred university, Rajan pursued LSE’s BSc in Politics and Economics program instead of the desired BSc in Economics degree.
He wouldn’t have discovered his newfound interest in politics if he hadn’t taken the gap year.
Fulfilling Experiences
Taking a year off can be as valuable as time spent in college. Students who choose gap years are seen as directionless and unmotivated.
The truth is more nuanced and has nothing to do with the above. It’s a chance to find joy in the most prized memories, says college student Lydia Bearss.
These experiences last a lifetime and help mold your kid into the person that’s become more confident in their abilities to navigate life.
Success follows a nonlinear path. Sometimes it can mean spiritual growth or self-realization.
Final Push
A gap year allows students to embrace spontaneity and collect memories. It facilitates independence, and self-awareness and makes life worth living.
Societal standards dictate that we go to school, enroll in college, earn a degree and find a job. Sometimes, the process is flawed.
You want your children to live happy deserving lives, but not giving them the option is depriving them of living authentically.
By giving them the choice to take a break from academics, the risk of burnout is reduced, and their chances of academic performance are improved.
Freshmen are increasingly stressed out even before arriving at campus. Most experts agree that a “time-out” is greatly needed before burnout forces them to quit classes for good.
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