Gappers Of 2007/08- Its time to Reflect On the Year Gone By

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sakura_starfall

How much did the whole thing cost you?

Around £3900 incl flights, Japan was a large chunk of that. My costs in Japan were approx. £1055 for 1 month (£25*25 + £180 boat + £250 JR Pass). I checked my statement, and I actually spent £3551 while I was out there.

Reply 21

sakura_starfall

Ewan

That's not bad for all of that! Yeah japan is expensive :frown:

what was the shinkansen like? I couldn't afford to go on it when i was there :frown:

Reply 22

Ewan

sakura_starfall

That's not bad for all of that! Yeah japan is expensive :frown:

what was the shinkansen like? I couldn't afford to go on it when i was there :frown:

It was nice, large seats that recline, and lots of leg room. The nice thing about Japanese trains is the efficiency. Always on time (to the second), and they don't take long to get from A to B. It takes just 2 hr 20mins, Tokyo to Kyoto! With the rail pass its all "free" too... £250 for 2 weeks is a bargain when single Shinkanzen tickets cost £70 each.

Reply 23

OnlyMe!

chester.

Spent my gap year in the Civil Service

How did that come about?

Reply 24

chester.

I had initially planned on having a gap year, so applied for the Civil Service last july. I changed my mind about the gap year but that ended up falling through, so for about 2 weeks at the end of september I was in limbo with no uni and no job or anything! But out of the blue I got a letter saying I started my new job in the Pensions Service in a few days and I've been here since october. Not overly exciting, but it's money for uni! :biggrin:

Reply 25

mrs_bellamy

I've had a pretty decent gap year. It was unplanned, I didn't find out about it till September, so I spent the first 2 months working as a lifeguard in a leisure centre and trying to work out what the hell to do. I got a job in hospital admin in central london, which was a fantastic experience for me because I want to go into medicine. I met so many great people and it was nice to have a proper job where I was taken seriously (my old job was basically pising about, which is fine but gets boring). I loved working in central London aswell. I went to Jordan for a bit at xmas, and America and Mexico in March (went to LA, down to San Diego, then Tijuana, back up to LA, then Kingman, Grand Canyon, and Las Vegas). Then I came to France in April and I'm still here, working as a lifeguard again on a campsite. Its awesome. I get back from France at the end of August and I'm thinking about doing my beach lifeguard course in England in september so I could do that next summer, but I need to get fitter first. I've got so much out of my gap year and would recommend it to anyone, my only regret is that it was unplanned. If I could start my year again I'd still do France and the hospital, but I would have saved more money and done a bit more travelling before I came here. I also wish I'd done a French course before I came here! I'm getting on OK but would have been nice to have refreshed my GCSE stuff before I came. I would defo recommend a gap year to anyone though, especially if its planned properly!

Reply 26

ukebert

Those who took a gap year from sept 2007 to now.. how has it been for you?

A mixed bag. Working started out OK but by the end was nothing more than a complete pain.

What did you do?

I worked in an Engineering Consultancy firm for 6 months, it was supposed to be 10 but I realised that it was my gap year and that i shouldn't waste it. I then went and worked in Helvellyn Youth Hostel for a month, went to Shetland for nearly two weeks, did my Day Skipper, Walked in Wales for a week and volunteered on the Talyllyn Railway. Most of the above were on my own. I then went on a massive tour of northern Europe. *posts from Trondheim*

What didnt you do?

I didn't do everything that I wanted to do while at home. It is all to easy to get in a rut and all the things you plan to do in your gap year you donæt end up doing, just like when you wree at school.

would you recommend a gap year to anyone else?

Yes, with reservations. Make sure that you only work for as much time is absolutely necessary, spend as much time as possible having fun.

How has your social life faired?

Social Life, what social life? :p:

Well my post count on TSR has skyrocketed obviously, but in general I think that I've had to be slightly more outgoing than usual, especially when travelling. This is good for university methinks :smile:

Reply 27

rufus_da_bear

Ewan

you spend 4 grand in 6 months ish? thats amazing! im off in febuary, do you think 6 grand would be enough for 7 months, if i super budget? (going to japan for 2 weeks aswell :smile:

)

Reply 28

Ewan

rufus_da_bear

you spend 4 grand in 6 months ish? thats amazing! im off in febuary, do you think 6 grand would be enough for 7 months, if i super budget? (going to japan for 2 weeks aswell :smile:

)

Should be fine, depends where your going though

Reply 29

Ghost Grey

I’m envious of Ewan he did a great budget trip encompassing a variety of cultures and countries (big props). But, I am so happy that I decided to take a gap year and more importantly to travel. I did get to miss England, my home town, my close friends and family, although now I'm back I wish I was away again..
People have so many questions and it's hard to explain the reality of it you’ve done it. So go travel if you have the opportunity to before uni.
.

Reply 30

Apocalypte

Have been on a gap year (taken at an unusual stage though, between 3rd and 4th year) for the last year, I moved in with friends and worked for the year. Discovered I never want to do any kind of technical support ever again and developed a hatred of large corporations. I've managed to save up a decent amount of money towards keeping myself going in final year, and I appreciate college more after a year working a crap job!

The only issue I see is that I am now *MUCH* older than many of my classmates! (I am 24 years old)

Reply 31

jomo

chester.

Another gap year civil servant! Damn, we are cool. :P And oh-so bureaucratic...

Those who took a gap year from sept 2007 to now.. how has it been for you?

Yes, I think it's what I needed - I was fed up of being in the exam machine bubble and even though I didn't do anything particularly fun, just having some time to do what I want rather than worrying about studying has been nice. :smile:

What did you do?

Got a job at the Office for National Statistics as an admin assistant. Originally, I did plan to do a lot of travelling but everything seemed to fall through so I just figured I should stay there for the whole year and earn some cash for the summers ahead. :P

What didnt you do?

Travel. Which i'm annoyed about because I did want to experience some new places/cultures. In many ways, I wish i'd pushed myself a bit more to do things - I do feel like i've missed a few opportunities this year but then again, I wasn't keen to travel by myself and hopefully the money i've earnt now will mean I can places in the summer hols, when I will need a break. :P

would you recommend a gap year to anyone else?

I think it depends on the person and what they want. I wanted to relax - which I was able to do on a gap year (most gap year jobs will be stress-free. :P) I'm better off financially, I feel like i've spent some time seeing a bit of "the real world" and it's made me more now eager to go to uni which I appreciate now is a real privilege. To sum up - i've learnt this year, you don't need to go to the other side of the world to get a different perspective.

And my driving's much better now, thank god. Oh, and I can cook for myself!

How has your social life faired?

I moved house at the beginning of my gap year so for the first few months it was like *tumbleweed*. Still, i've made a lot of friends at work (unlikely friends too) and i've been up to my school friend's unis/back to my hometown a lot. It's not been one continual party but I figure that's what uni should be. :P

Reply 32

chester.

jomo

Another gap year civil servant! Damn, we are cool. :P And oh-so bureaucratic...

I'm an admin assistant too, and off to do joint honours philosophy at uni, also in scotland! :eek:

Rather similar, me and you! :wink:

Reply 33

humanchimp

I got a job for the first 5 months as an admin assistant, then went traveling to Argentina for 1 month of hang-gliding, and then spent two months scuba diving (did my rescue and divemaster course) on Utila, a Caribbean island off Honduras. Had such a great time there, I'm already planning on going back for a year or so after uni to become an instructor. would definitely recommend it! (Spent about £4,000 in 3 months though (inc flights and everything)!

Reply 34

Yusuf.T

keep the posts coming in y'all :smile:

Reply 35

Sash.

My gap year was...rather uninteresting. I stayed behind for all the wrong reasons (boyfriend, well he's now my ex, and family stuff was blowing up) and I felt that I just couldn't leave. I've been working 27 hours a week since December and had a huge plan to save up loads and loads of money - which didn't happen. The cost of living and rent and running my car sucked up most of the income I had. Though my social life has gotten alot better, and i've become closer to the friends who are also on a Gap Year or who just didn't go to uni. I really can't wait for September 20th!

Reply 36

mad_eejit

I've been on my gap period of doom since Christmas 06 when I came home from uni and refused to go back.

It's very easy to fall into a rut if you haven't got something concrete planned. I spent the first few months out trying to figure out what the hell I wanted to do with myself for the rest of my life (dropping out really knocked me for six to be honest) and then I couldn't really find work anywhere so I just stayed put in my lovely supermarketing job. Yeuch. Escaped that about a month or two ago and am in the civil service until I start uni again in September. Fun biscuits...

It's been dull to be honest but I wouldn't change it, I really needed a break from education and I think having got that will make me work harder when I do get back to uni. I hope anyways, I miss using my brain and seeing what this whole 9 - 5 nonsense is like has made me all the more determined to get myself a degree and a job I'll actually find interesting and where I'm not essentially a glorified robot.

It's not all been doom and gloom though, I appreciate uni this time around, last time I just went for the craic - this time I want to learn and I'm determined to work hard at it and see what I'm actually capable of achieving. I feel really enthusiastic about the whole thing.

Oh yeah and I saved up enough money to pay my first year's tuition fees so there we go, I achieved something! Can't wait for September :biggrin:

Reply 37

Yusuf.T

mad_eejit

whoah your post is seriously like how my time after i dropped outta uni went
i dropped out in 2007.but like you said, i really appreciate the time i have had off education for sure.. i know what the REAL world is like now :eek: