Gap Years Can Look Totally Different—I Spent Mine at Disney World

I know how cheesy it sounds to say you ‘found yourself’ on an overseas holiday, but you really do.

School is exhausting so it’s no wonder that by the time we get to the end of Year 12, a lot of us are burnt out and more lost than ever.

Then we’ve gotta make one of the biggest decisions of our lives—what the heck do we do next?

There’s a reason a gap year is so appealing. Work full-time and save your hard-earned dollars, try a few different things and see if anything takes your fancy, pack up your bags and travel near or far.

My story.

As I put down my high school textbooks for the last time and anxiously awaited my ATAR results, I felt a sense of dread at the thought of having to endure another three years of exams, assignments and study. But I did it anyway.

Don’t get me wrong, I made the most of every second at uni. But it’s safe to say that by the time I walked across the stage in my cap and gown, I was done.

While I was excited to get stuck into seeing where my passion for writing would take me, I’d been working so hard for so long and I really just wanted to have a bit of fun.

Then, one day my brother tagged me in a post about this grad program at Disney World in Florida, mostly as a joke because he knew I was obsessed with Disney films.

The program was specifically for uni students from Australia and New Zealand who were still studying or had just graduated (sadly I don’t think it’s still a thing since COVID).

I had nothing to lose so, much to everyone’s surprise, I applied.

Before I knew it, I’d quit my job, packed everything I owned into two suitcases and was standing in the airport with my visa and passport ready to board a plane to the States.

Celebrating my 22nd birthday.

The adventure of a lifetime.

I spent the next 10 months supervising in a little retail store in the lobby of a Disney Hotel (themed with giant Toy Story characters, you’ve gotta check it out here), meeting people from all around the world and making priceless memories.

I lived through one of the worst hurricanes in American history, road tripped all around the state, immersed myself in American culture (like celebrating Thanksgiving and eating too many corndogs) and lived with strangers who became some of my best friends.

Those best friends I mentioned.

I know how cheesy it sounds to say you ‘found yourself’ on an overseas holiday, but I really did. I was alone on the other side of the world, so I learnt a lot about myself pretty quickly.

And I had fun, which is what I was really looking for out of the experience. After years of turning down social invites to study and filling any spare time with a part-time job, I was living my best, no-responsibilities life. If I wasn’t at work (which I loved anyway), I was literally riding rollercoasters or meeting Disney characters at the theme parks (which I got into for free thanks to work perks).

I couldn’t speak more highly of a gap year in general—one where you get out of your comfort zone, discover new things about yourself and meet lifelong friends.

If you need more info, or maybe some inspiration, we’ve got plenty of it over here. Slide into our DMs and let us know what you think about taking a gap year, or if you’ve taken one!