Gap Years are more popular than ever, but with increasing popularity the options have become more varied—making it more difficult to decide what you will actually be doing with your Gap Year. Is it better to find an internship? Travel? Volunteer?
What you do with your Gap Year is a crucial choice, so we’ve compiled for you our 5 favorite ways to make sure that your Gap Year is a worthwhile investment:
Learn a Foreign Language
Whether you decide to take classes in your hometown or travel to enjoy an immersive experience in a foreign country, learning a new language is always beneficial for you. Employers are searching more and more for workers who are bi or multilingual; it will allow you to travel to certain parts of the world with ease; being bilingual improves your mental performance. Learning a foreign language also helps you communicate with people you could not have had a conversation with otherwise and discover new ways to look at the world.
Get Certified
If you’re taking a Gap Year because you aren’t sure what your next step is, getting certified is a great way to further your professional objectives without getting committed to a certain field. Whether you decide to get your First Aid Certification or earn the certifications you need to become a raft guide, you will have tangible tools to either get a summer job or further your leadership skills. Certifications also show employers that you are a dedicated and serious applicant, no matter what career you decide to pursue in the future.
Pick up a Hobby
Picking up a hobby might seem like a luxury, but it might help you figure out what you are truly passionate about. Want to become a programmer? Take a coding class to see if you could really go down this path. If you have the opportunity to travel, pick up activities like surfing or scuba diving! Who knows, you might discover that you want to become an instructor!
Help Others
Volunteering is a legitimate path to chose if you need some time before deciding what to do next. There are many options for you know: you can work with endangered species, help school students around the world or help combat deforestation. Your time will be well spent and you will surely feel accomplished.
Travel
While your Gap Year can be spent at home, it is also the perfect time to travel and discover the world! Being in contact with new cultures and communities will change the way you view your life back home and the options you have for your future. Plus, you’ll make new friends along the way! Don’t forget that you also have the options of taking only a semester off too.
Go to our website to learn more about our Gap Year & Semester course and stay tuned on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more articles. If you have any questions about designing your Gap Year with us, contact our office.