The gap year is a well-established tradition around the world that many people choose to take advantage of before going on to higher education.

For some people, a gap year is a great opportunity to just relax at home, work on hobbies, and practice a bit of self-development before heading off to university. For many others, a gap year can be an opportunity to see the world with a scheme such as that offered by theleap.

In any case, if you want to get the most out of your gap year, so that it serves as a truly memorable and enriching experience for years to come, here are some things to look for in your gap year.

 

Contact with the world beyond your comfort zone

 

 

Generally speaking, human beings tend to be naturally driven to follow the path of least resistance, and we all have our comfort zones that we will tend to settle into and not stray very far from unless we are actively pushing ourselves to venture forth.

It can be easy to spend a gap year doing not much of anything, if you allow yourself to get into a rut of simply playing video games and sleeping all day, for example. But not only is this kind of routine likely to prove very detrimental to your overall sense of well-being and mental health, it’s also a wasted opportunity.

If you’re going on to university, you want to hit the ground running and really explore the social as well as the academic aspects of the Uni experience. If you spend your gap year getting yourself used to striking out beyond your comfort zone, this will come all the more naturally.

 

Fun and excitement

 

 

Let’s face it, there are many “productive” ways you could spend your gap year, that would nonetheless not leave you feeling very happy, positive, or excited.

While there may be certain benefits to pursuing particular work schemes and so on during your gap year, an ideal situation would involve you finding plenty of opportunities for fun and excitement, as well.

Later in life, it will be much harder to set a whole year aside for doing more or less whatever you want. So, make the experience memorable, and find hobbies, projects, or outings that excite you.

 

Inspiration and insight for the next big adventure or project

 

 

A gap year is an opportunity for adventure, but it’s obviously not the only opportunity for adventure you will come across in your life. Ideally, you should constantly be on the adventure path, pursuing projects that excite and uplift you, throughout your life.

A gap year is a great way to find inspiration for the next big adventure or project down the line. So think about ways to spend your gap year that will open doors for you down the line, even if that just means starting a fitness routine, or a new hobby, that you can carry forward into the future.