Gap Year?Thoughts?

Just wanted opinions from you guys [even if you havent taken a gap year yourself before uni] Still not sure what to do as I think it would be great experience but am already a year lower than where I should be!?

Reply 1

Anderson8

I want to go, in 2010 but dont know where to go? I fancy Australia for 4 months.... how much will this cost?

Reply 2

Cherry Kisses

What are you interested in? Helping people/animals? Exploring? Working abroad? Work experience? Solo travel? Going on a booze cruise?
Research your intrests, there are so many things open to you.

Reply 3

Anderson8

Cherry Kisses

What are you interested in? Helping people/animals? Exploring? Working abroad? Work experience? Solo travel? Going on a booze cruise?
Research your intrests, there are so many things open to you.

Solo travel, basically just travelling and chilling. Maybe getting some work?

Reply 4

MichaelScofield

You will almost certainly find that your romantic notion of the gap year experience will not transpire.

Reply 5

FiveFiveSix

MichaelScofield

You will almost certainly find that your romantic notion of the gap year experience will not transpire.

Nope. My romantic notion of three months in beautiful Thailand very quickly transpired into five months of drinking excessively, fighting constantly, watching fat old western blokes drool over young, pretty Thai girls, spending more time in a hospital in said five months than in the previous eighteen years, acquiring a variety of interesting new scars, joining the H3, finding new friends, being betrayed by said new friends, having the time of my life and generally experiencing a life change. I've seen and done a lot of things that I'd never have done had I stayed home.

It's going to be very boring back home. No girls screaming at me that I'm a sexy man every time I walk down the street, for one.

My god, I actually posted something serious... There must be something wrong with me!

Reply 6

ninety_nine

Don't worry about being 'a year behind', because so many people take gap years these days. Just make sure you do some reading/writing, so you don't completely lose the swing of things when you get to uni.

If you wan't to take a gap year then go for it, but make sure it's planned well. Trips to places like Australia and Thailand are very expensive and therefore require a lot of money to be saved in advance, but travel within the EU and you can find work fairly easily, reducing the amount of money you have to save beforehand.

Reply 7

JoeJBB

Suga_Coma

Are you asking if you should have a gap year or not? If you're not sure what you want to do then DEFINATELY take a gap year. Also, as other people have said, there's so much stuf you can do during it.

And don't worry about the age thing - I took a gap year, went to uni for a year but then dropped out, and am now on another gap year, going to start a different course at a diferent uni in 2009, so I'll be 21 by the time I get to uni :smile:

Reply 8

Cherry Kisses

Anderson8

Solo travel, basically just travelling and chilling. Maybe getting some work?

I was actually talking to the OP, but for your question regarding Australia for 4 months Id hazard a guess at somewhere between 2 and 4 grand, my brothers friend took out a loan for his Aussie trip. Get a working visa and find work in a bar or resturant and the cost will obviously be alot less.

Reply 9

ele01

Anderson8

I want to go, in 2010 but dont know where to go? I fancy Australia for 4 months.... how much will this cost?

well I was talking to a guy the other day and he said he spent 10k in 6months, but he was drinking EVery night.
I guess it depends what you want to do, and food and accomation, also at least a grand for the flight...so yeah soon amounts up.
but yeah you could work your way around, and it should be cheaper...

Reply 10

Bob-J

Im 18 years old.
Im considering either doing paid work abroad or some volenteer work for a community during the summer.
For about 2-3 Months.
Where would recommend for me to do either of these?

the realgap seems great but im not so sure now that iv read alot of bad thing about them.
but the actual site an brochure looks great.

What should I do as It has variety of things to do while on the trip and sort most of it out for me.

Reply 11

username42053

Yer man go. I've heard nothing but good things from Gap Years, and as long as you plan it, it could be one of your best decisions to date.

Sod the age thing too. I'll be finishing my degree in 2013.

Bob-J, the world's a pretty big place. Africa, Asia, Australasia, South America, North America, Europe..got any particular continents in mind?

Reply 12

Bob-J

Well
Africa im thinking.
or OZ/NZ for paid work.

But yano that Realgap.com was considerin going with them.
but Iv read alot of bad thing about them? Anyone actually been on a trip with them?

Reply 13

ele01

Bob-J

Well
Africa im thinking.
or OZ/NZ for paid work.

But yano that Realgap.com was considerin going with them.
but Iv read alot of bad thing about them? Anyone actually been on a trip with them?

No, but ive booked one...going to thailand wit them, they seem okay so far.
Anyways, i know what thing your thinking of and it might be a good idea, considerign you will be guaranteed a job, as you may find it hard when u are over there, and a mate of mine came back and he said he worked for a month some where, and never got paid!! :O