365 days after taking a gap year, here is everything I’ve learned and why I believe gap years are so beneficial.

All Day Everyday

Until you take a gap year, you don’t realize how precious the combination of time and freedom are. We all have time, but for most of our adult lives, that time doesn’t always feel like it’s fully ours. SATs, summer jobs, college applications, midterm studying, internships, jobs, certifications, advanced degrees, the list goes on and on. The point is, there is always something on the laundry list of things we must do to “progress” in our lives, and not doing so makes us feel guilty and lazy.

A gap year, on the other hand, is a commitment dedicated fully to yourself and your desires (and there truly is no better feeling). For most of the 365 days in my gap year, I woke up having no idea what I was going to do with my day. I did everything from traveling to taking an online wine class to reading books to shooting hoops to going on bike rides around the neighborhood, and it was all based on my desires for the day. I can not emphasize enough how awesome of a feeling it is to do something simply because you want to do it. Most people experience this kind of lifestyle after retirement, but I say, why wait?

Who Am I?

Why do I do the things that I do in life? Ask yourself this question, and you will be surprised at how difficult it can be to answer. We are all born into a society, and that society influences how we act and think. Many times we make big decisions in our life based on the pressures we feel from observing our peers as opposed to our natural desires. As I mentioned, a gap year gives you 24 hours a day 7 days a week to yourself, and above all the fun you will have with that time, the main benefit to you will be the ability to understand yourself better.

What you do with your freedom is a tell-tale sign of what it is you want out of life. My decisions during my gap year taught me a lot about myself. It reiterated my passion for sports, it showed me how good it feels to donate to people in need, it reminded me of the importance of living near family and friends, and it showed me how cheap happiness really can be. This list will be different for everyone, but what I can assure you is taking a gap year will change what you prioritize and why. There is no better investment you can make in life than one that helps you better understand yourself.

1 Step Back 2 Steps In a Different Direction

The biggest obstacle that stops people from taking a gap year is the fear of no progress. In today’s world, progress, and fast progress, are everything, and saying no to progress can seem foolish. Before my gap year, I was worried about stopping my career and financial advancement. Making no money, losing a good-paying job, and potentially getting a worse job when I returned, were all uncomfortable thoughts that almost convinced me out of this year. However, after a year filled with lots of reading, traveling, experiences, and interactions, I came back with a different perspective on life. I desired a high paying job, but this time it was because I understood the value of money and the good it could do. I realized how little I cared about tangible items like big houses, nice cars, and fancy clothes, and vowed to never purchase them just to fit in with society. Most importantly, I learned that happiness and contents start in the mind and the importance of mediation in life.

These discoveries carved a new path and purpose to my life. Though I may have taken a step back from my previous progress, I can confidently say I am now on a road that I feel more comfortable driving on. Taking a gap year will almost certainly lead you down this same discovery. Your path may be different than mine, but a gap year will without a doubt change your motives and reasoning behind the life decisions you make. Slow progress on the right journey, is better than fast progress on the wrong one.

5 6 7 8- What Do We Appreciate?!

I’d be lying to you if I told you a gap year is all glamour and glitz. There are no doubt struggles and worries through it all, no matter what you decide to do with it. When I traveled, I had to make sure I budgeted and accounted for every dollar I spent. For the first time in many years, I was making no money, and as crazy as it sounds, I’m so glad I wasn’t. Without the hardships of having no income, I would never have truly appreciated the value of money. I learned to appreciate my purchases more and cut out wasted spending in my life. My gap year humbled me, and It will do the same for you too. It may be money, or it may be something else, but a gap year requires sacrifice, and the sacrifices you make will create a more appreciative and humble self after it’s all said and done.

Removing the Blinders

This post is not a post focused strictly on travel but more so on the concept of a gap year. That being said, as a travel lover, I can’t help but mention how great traveling was during my gap year. What made gap-year traveling so different from any other vacation was my ability to learn from other cultures around the world. Having the time and freedom to discover people and understand different ways of life created a more eye-opening experience. Like most travelers, I love seeing cool architecture, scenery, and cities, but I soon learned that most destinations around the world have this to offer. What truly separates countries from a travel perspective is their cultures and way of life. Going to Southeast Asia, a place that was nothing like my home country of America, was such a valuable learning experience and quite possibly the most important months of my life.

We all live with a cetin degree of blindness, and travel helps take these very blinders off. If you love traveling, learning, and discovering the world, there is no better chance to do this in life than during a gap year!