For many students, matric can be a confusing time. Your friends are all heading off to different places to kick-start their lives and you are supposed to make decisions that could impact the rest of your life. Taking a gap year after completing matric can be a valuable experience for young people who want to explore their interests, gain new skills, and broaden their perspective, before entering the next phase of their academic or professional lives.
While many students feel pressure to start college or university immediately after finishing high school, a gap year can be an excellent opportunity to learn more about yourself, your passions, and your goals.
Why a gap year can be a good idea:
One of the best things about a gap year is that it allows students to explore their career interests. Rather than rushing into a qualification that they may not fully understand or even want to do, students can take time to research different fields, talk to professionals in various industries, and gain an understanding of the skills and qualifications needed for certain career paths.
The best way to do this is through internships, job shadowing, online resources like LinkedIn and other career blogs.
Gap years also present the perfect opportunity to develop new skills and improve on existing capabilities. For example, a student who is interested in pursuing a career in software development could use their gap year to learn coding languages, build an app, or contribute to an open-source project. That may sound daunting, but all you need is internet access. The web is full of free resources that can help you develop the skills you need. GirlCode, for example, has partnered with Vuma to offer a wide variety of free coding courses, and YouTube offers a variety of free tutorials. Students who want to pursue a career in marketing can start a blog, learn about social media marketing, or take a course in Google Analytics. Other free online resources available for students who want to improve their skills include Codecademy and edX – among many others.
Using your time to give back:
Another benefit of a gap year is the chance to give back to your community. Volunteering can be an excellent way to develop skills, meet new people, and gain a sense of purpose. Whether it’s working at a local non-profit, teaching English abroad, or participating in a conservation project, volunteering can be a rewarding experience that allows young people to make a positive impact on the world and may also be a gateway to exciting travel opportunities.
It’s not all fun and games:
Of course, taking a gap year is not without its challenges. Many people worry about falling behind their peers, losing momentum, or struggling to readjust to academic life after a long break. Then there is also the fact that many believe they simply can’t afford to sit around for a year. With careful planning, however, a gap year can be a highly productive and rewarding experience. To make the most of their gap year, young people should set goals for what they want to achieve, develop a clear plan of action, and stay connected with mentors and advisors to ensure they remain on track.
Gap years can be a great opportunity to help you find purpose in a time when you are trying to find yourself. All it takes to make the most of your gap year is a clear plan, a sense of curiosity and a bit of Vuma.