Taking a gap year before joining a university or a college is gaining popularity across the globe. Students need a time break before joining campuses to understand the world around them. A gap year helps students to enjoy real-world experiences that transform them to be innovative and critical thinkers. In this regard, I took a gap year to reflect on my life ambitions and understand myself better. Primarily, I took a gap year to get sufficient time to prepare for college, learn new life skills, fulfill various work and family obligations, and break classroom monotony.
After completing high school, I found it rational to take a gap year to gain the essential life skills necessary at the college level. I have visited different places comprising people from diverse cultural backgrounds. As a result, I have learned to appreciate other individuals’ ideas and uphold ethical values across different contexts. The learned life skills, such as problem-solving, listening, resilience, and interpersonal skills, among others, remain indispensable in my college life. Besides, I wanted to spend time with my family to nurture an exceptional rapport. I believe that family is sacred, and it is significant to deliberate on family issues as one unit. A gap year was necessary to achieve family commitments. I also felt I needed employment to gain insights into the employers’ expectations in my future career. Significantly, I needed to break the classroom monotony to concentrate on other life aspects, including traveling and volunteering, which would reenergize me before joining college.
I am confident that a gap year was helpful to me, and I feel ready both emotionally and physically to join the college. I have learned essential life skills, including interpersonal and listening skills, that will strengthen my interactions with other students. I cannot regret taking a gap year because it allowed me to have real-life experiences, which break the classroom monotony and inspire creative thinking.