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Gap year: what does it get you?

I read an article in my regional newspaper about young adults who consciously choose to take a gap year. “The coolest thing I have ever done”, “I really stepped out of my comfort zone”, “Good to do something where you get to know yourself better.”

A gap year has all kinds of manifestations. One person goes on a longer trip, another takes a language course, chooses volunteer work in their own country or abroad, another goes to work somewhere paid.

But what can a gap year -in your own country or especially abroad- get you? Whether you are young, young adult or already adult?

Some examples:

  • of course: new experiences and new adventure
  • self-understanding of what happens to you when you (literally or figuratively) cross boundaries
  • new or improved skills to make (social, study or work) contacts with others
  • self-understanding that you can manage well for a period 'alone' abroad; also consider, for example, being able to deal with (temporary) 'loneliness'
  • you can make good or better independent choices
  • peace, time and space to think (better) about your next step: in your studies, in your first job or in your current career
  • a network of contacts all over the world, through the people you meet along the way or with whom you contact online
  • new or improved language skills: by traveling anyway, but especially if you make a language course part of your gap year
  • more interest or insight into other countries, cultures and customs
  • more or renewed appreciation of the country and culture you come from ('we don't have it that bad' - that feeling)
  • more self-insight and self-development: who are you, what drives you, what are important values ​​for you, what gets you out of bed, what are your talents and what else do you want to develop yourself in: in any case by 'hitting the road', but especially if you follow workshops in this direction during your gap year
  • come closer to yourself (again), because when abroad you don't have to 'comply' as much with an image that people already knew about you. The opportunity to partly reposition or even 'reinvent' yourself.
  • (re)finding new motivation to pick up where you left off or to make changes and move on, once home

Of course this is personal and (slightly) different for everyone.

Therefore my question: What drives you to choose a gap year? Or - if you have already had the year - what has the gap year given you?

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