[Fun] FACTS about Gap-Year

In my Country, Indonesia, this topic is not really familiar. Even, this topic may seem “unnecessary-to-be-talked-about” since some people in my country do not consider gap year as an option. Gap-year, in my country, are seen like a tragic failure to a student who got  bad grades in their school.

I, am as an Indonesian, have been  thinking the same thing because the environment that shaped me. The stereotype shaped me until I, myself, experienced gap-year.

Gap-year, or may be known as sabbatical year, has a definition of “resting” period from any formal (academic) school.(1) This period of time is usually taken by students who have graduated from high school and going to enter college or university. Gap-year may indicated as a break period between high school and college.(2)

Gap-year was originally started in  United Kingdom on 1970’s and intended as a method of developing the students (through an extended international experience). Since that time, Gap-year widely known and applied by many countries, as a program or even, tradition.(1)

So now, I will elaborate the evidence-based facts about gap-year that I hope anyone who read this article, either you are  parent that worrying about your children study plan or decision after high school or a student who is going to continue your study into the college or university, can think and be more decisive.

1. People take gap-year beyond many (different) reasons.

A study director at Temple University, Nina Hoe, Ph.D., collaborated with AGA Research Committee, conducted a research about significant influences that take part in someone’s decision of gap year.(3)

Figure 1(3)

The highest percentage in that chart shows that actually people involved in gap-year not because they’re failing with the admission of the college or university, but they actually were having the purpose to seek the meaning of life by gaining experiences that could develop their personal in their growing process.

This chart indicates that gap-year is not a bad option IF you’re already know what’s your purpose of taking this period after graduated from high school. Instead of taking gap-year only to taking rest (in literal meaning) and being YOLO by not having an organized schedule on your gap year and just being a buritto, lazy person, and having fun all the time; try to consider gap-year as an option that should be think about seriously and a new opportunity to build a better self.

2. However, Gap-year gives positive impacts

Figure 2 (3)

This diagram shows that people who took gap-year get a positive impacts to theirselves, personally and even for their future life in their career, college life, and global engagement

3.  Moment of gap-year gives a break for the students who have graduated from high school to consider again their choice of next career and academic major. By having a moment of gap in their lifes, most people feel that they do not have any pressure about their next study decision. The memonet of gap-year gives a refreshment from their burnout in their highschool and gives them time to think again their purpose in their life in the future.

4. Gap year is not guarantee for a better life, but I can say that gap year build a better self.

I have no data to prove this statement, but I am as a person who took gap-year have this opinion about gap-year.

Being in a gap year gave me a time to stop for a while from a system that was pull me to always run in life. I, was an accelerated student, so I always feel like  I was “running” all the time. Being in a gap-year give me time to be more observant, care with my environment. I always assuring myself, to think again everything that will be a new decision in my life, I  feel like I’m growing without any pressure. I can enjoy every moment without forgetting the point of lesson that I should take from every journey that I’m going through.

Hope this writing could give you a new perspective about gap-year! Share your point of view about gap-year in the comment section of this article and I hope we can disscuss this topic together! OR maybe if you’re one of the person who ever experienced gap-year, I highly recommend you to share your stories about gap-year in the comment section!

Thanks!

Best regards,

Aulia.

References

1. Gap year [Internet]. Wikipedia free encyclopaedia; [updated 2017 Jul 24]. Available from:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gap_year

2. What’s a gap-year? [Intenret]. Portland: American Gap Association; year unknown. Available from: https://americangap.org/gap-year.php

3. Gap Year data and benefits [Internet]. Portland: American Gap Association; year unknown. Available from: https://americangap.org/data-benefits.php