Taking a Gap Year
Still not sure how you want to spend your days after graduation? We get it. You might be so overwhelmed with your high school workload, you'll want to take a break and decompress before plunging into the next stage of your life. Sometimes, that's the best thing to do, which is why a lot of students consider a gap year — or gap years — after high school.
You could travel, using an organisation to help plan your trip, or, you could backpack around the world by yourself and volunteer abroad. You could start working; save up a bunch of money at a casual job, or gain some work experience. Or, you could chill: Catch up on your reading, watch a bunch of movies, learn a new language, donate your time to different organisations, or, simply, unwind.
Gap years have plenty of benefits: They get you out of the study bubble and help you gain some life experience, either by leaving home to see the world, or by putting others first through volunteering. Working helps you save money, if you want to move out before studying, or pay off your travel without having to take out a loan. Even the 'chilling' option helps you reboot if you're burnt out from study, and give you the time and mental breathing room to think about what it is you want to do with your life. And in all these scenarios, the hours can be pretty flexible.
Still, if you're not working, a gap year can be expensive. Also, when it comes to working, your options will be limited without a qualification. You might also find yourself a year behind your peers when it comes to study, if that is the pathway you want to return to afterwards.
Though this may sound very, very tempting, a lot of thought and certainly some deep discussions with your parents need to take place before you agree to a gap year. No matter what, use your gap year productively. (Yes, chilling can be productive!)
