Taking some time out to focus on yourself, whether it’s in-between education or a break from your career, can be a liberating and educational experience. It’s important to make the most of your gap year and do things that help your personal growth. Sometimes it can be hard to know what to do with this time, as not everyone plans to go traveling or can afford along around the world trip. So, if you think you need a break to figure some things out, but aren’t sure what to do with your time, here are four ways you can spend your gap year that could help to change your life.
1. Charity Work
One of the most rewarding and noble things you can do with your year is dedicating part or all of it to working for a charity. You can volunteer with your local thrift store, on support telephone lines, or even helping to organize fundraising events to help raise awareness to their cause. If you are interested in traveling or spending time abroad, but still want to help others, you can also volunteer your time working for a charity in another country. For example, charities such as the Red Cross organize groups of volunteers to provide hurricane relief or aid for other natural disasters around the world. If this kind of work sound appealing to you, research the different charities that can provide placements abroad and find something that suits you or a cause that you’re passionate about.
2. Explore a Continent
A lot of people dream of traveling and exploring the globe when they decide to take a gap year, and while this is a great experience, sometimes you might not get to see as much of a place as you’d like to due to time constraints. If you want to fully immerse yourself into a culture or have more time to explore an area, why not focus on traveling around a continent instead? This way, you don’t have to rush through places and can spend more time getting to learn more about a countries culture, and you’ll feel less worn out because you won’t feel as though you constantly have to travel from place to place.
3. Start a Travel Blog
This is a good idea for those who are interested in writing or journalism as a career. Keeping a travel blog or journal is not only a great way to document your experiences and keep the memories alive, but it can also work as a portfolio if you want to make a living from writing. Even if you’re not interested in becoming a full-time, professional writer, a travel blog could be a great way to help you figure things out and be a useful tool in your journey to self-discovery.
4. Get an Internship
If you don’t want to travel during your year off, why not consider an internship? This is a great idea for those who are interested in making a career change as well as those who have just graduated, and it looks great on your resume. You’ll be able to make good contacts in the industry you’re interested in, and it’s a great way to decide whether that career path is right for you or not.
Don’t waste your gap year sitting at home; make sure you’re making the most out of your experience with one or more of these suggestions.
