WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE A GAP YEAR

It was only a week ago that our Instagram and Facebook feeds were filled with 'Last day of school FOREVER!' photos and snap chat stories consisted of teens everywhere embracing alcohol as if ending two weeks of exams was breaking a life of celibacy. But what those poor, oblivious school leavers don't know is most of them will be straight into uni life in three months wandering why they ever complained about college workload. Yes that's right, the summer holidays will consist of parties, beaches, festivals and the all too familiar "So what are you going to do next year?" conversation.

But what if I told you not to listen to your parents and society telling you your going to become a dropkick if you don't finish uni and get a job, that being a 'bum' for a year could set you up for life. Here are the reasons I've learnt, why taking a gap year is both practical and ridiculous amounts of fun. 

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1. It let's you see what life is really like 

Let's face it, the last time you didn't have to go to school for a full year you were most likely four years old. Not to say spending your days watching spongebob, following around your parents and playing games weren't worthwhile but you just didn't know how good you bloody well had it. The feeling of being able to happily fall into a TV series addiction without worrying about how the hell your going to finish an essay when Heisenburgh is being taken hostage by Thucko is like no other. Without school you can spend your time however you want to. So if you want to lay in bed and watch movies everyday you'll most likely end the year unable to fit in any of your previous wardrobe but boy will you  kill it in the Harry Potter Trivia game. Or if you decide to draw, surf, skate, play an instrument or whatever else takes your fancy, you'll find yourself developing skills and finding new hobbies you otherwise couldn't have. You get out what you put in, so spend your time wisely and you can achieve things you otherwise struggled to have the time to develop.

2. Travel 

This is an absolute must if your going to have a gap year. To be honest, I'd recommend getting a working visa and moving to another country to work and travel for the full year. The experiences and people you'll meet are indescribable and you will learn things about life and yourself that university could never have taught you. If however money is an issue, then work for 6 months then travel or settle for a couple of months holiday like I did. Regardless if it's a week or a year, backpacking is likely going to be the best experience of your life so far. I had the most fun I'd ever had and it completely changes your perspective on life, it opens you up to new places and experiences that you forget exist. So while friends were doing assignments and complaining about it, I was riding bikes through Paris, swimming in the Mediterranean sea, front row of a music festival with 400,000 others or exploring caves in Croatia. 

3. Work experience 

Imagine studying a course for four years then starting your dream job to realise you can't stand it or being unable to get a job because everyone wants someone with experience but you need that job to gain the experience needed. A gap year allows you to test out various career paths and allows you to see what you like or dislike in a job. For me, I found that I NEED a job that stimulates my mind and is constantly changing, I hate repetition and get bored very easily. Therefore jobs like a dentist, or detail assistant (Which I currently am) are not for me. You can volunteer in an animal shelter, land an internship that you otherwise wouldn't be able to do whilst studying.