For a lot of students, their entire academic career has been leading up to their A-Levels, and after they’re done with them, they feel a little lost. So taking a break to work out your next steps can be extremely beneficial to both your mental and your physical health.
This is precisely why a lot of students choose to take a gap year. Planning a gap year can feel a little daunting, but it doesn’t have to be, which is why we have put together the following guide. Read on to learn more.
Table of Contents
The Benefits of a Gap Year
A gap year allows you to think about your next move, do you want to go to university, if so, what do you want to study? Perhaps you’re thinking about an apprenticeship, or you want to get your foot in the door and make a start on your desired career.
Students today have a lot of options, and they can be overwhelming – this is where the gap year comes in. You have the time to think about your next step while also having some amazing experiences. The gap year itself may lead to a revelation about what you want from your future.
Things to be Aware of
While there are benefits to a gap year, they are a big undertaking. Think about it. You are leaving your home, your friends and family, and in that sense, you are leaving your sense of security too. You need to be prepared to feel homesick at times; it is perfectly natural, do not let it ruin your gap year.
Coming home afterwards can also be a little difficult because you have to adjust to fitting back into your old life. Gap years also cost money; you need to have a plan to finance it but more on that later.
The Purpose of Your Gap Year
The next thing that you need to decide is what you want this year to be about. Is there anything specific that you want to see or do? Most people on a gap year tend to choose to travel, and this is either funded prior to the trip, or they join a volunteer or work abroad scheme to help them to finance their trip.
You need to think about what you want to get out of this year and whether your goals are more personal or professional. The whole year does not need to be geared towards a specific purpose. You could work and save up for most of the year and only spend a month or two travelling. You need to think about what purpose your gap year is going to serve.
Your Budget
Arguably the budget that you decide upon will affect every other aspect of your trip, so you need to put some thought into it. For example, your budget informs where you will be able to travel to, how long you can go for and the type of accommodation that you can stay in once you get there.
Unless you are fortunate enough to have some money saved already or to have generous parents, then the likelihood is that you will need to get a job and save up. Unless, of course, you are volunteering or working abroad, in which case you can fund your travels while you are travelling.
The Location
This can feel a little overwhelming because there are a lot of options when it comes to picking a location. If you are travelling simply to travel, then you need to do some research to work out what you want to include in your itinerary. You can hit several destinations during your trip, so you don’t have to limit your options too much.
If you are going with other people, then you should get together to work out a plan that everyone is happy with. If you are planning to volunteer or work abroad, then your options are more limited, so instead of focusing on a location, it might make more sense to find a scheme that you feel more passionate about because that will take up a lot of your time when you get there.
Packing List Essentials
While the specifics will depend entirely on your location and what you are going to do when you get there, there are some things that you need to remember to take with you regardless. First and foremost, you need to make sure that you have your passport and that it is valid. Next, you need to remember to take out some travel insurance to ensure that you are covered should you get poorly or injured.
You will also probably need to bring an adaptor for your electrical items. Finally, regardless of where you are going, you still need to ensure that you can get in touch with your friends and family if you need to. This might mean getting a new SIM for your phone that allows you to make calls internationally because not all providers allow this, or they might charge you extra. You need a provider like Lebara, who offer international calling to and from a number of countries; you can learn about their SIM-Only plans on their website.
Safety Considerations
Travelling during your gap year is not necessarily any more or less unsafe than any other holiday. However, it is important to be aware of the differing cultures and customs of the country that you are travelling to because this can make a difference.
You don’t need to take any extra safety precautions than you would in your home country. It is all about having a little common sense. For example, stick to well-lit areas and try to avoid calling attention to yourself and your tourist status.
In Summary
Most people think that gap years are simply a flight of fancy, that they don’t need to be planned out or thought through, but this is not the case. To ensure that you have a good gap year, you need to have a plan. So, if you are thinking about taking a gap year, then keep in mind the above advice when making your plans.