Taking a gap year, what can I do

I’m taking a gap year because of severe social anxiety issues. This means I probably can’t get a normal job or go on holiday or anything, only therapy lol. What else can I do during my gap year

Reply 1

chipperpotato

There are lots of online courses you can do. Maybe something with the Open University? You could also do something like learn a language, or an instrument. A year is a long time, and if you don't have some kind of structure it would be very easy to waste lots of time.

Hope this helps!

Reply 2

hannc21

I started uni when I had really bad social anxiety and it wasn't fun. I dropped out at the start of the pandemic and essentially did my own 'gap year'.
This is what I did:
- Start volunteering at a charity shop for a few hours a week. This will give you something to do outside the house (& something to put on your CV) without having to sign any contracts. You can stop working there whenever
- Take some online classes/experiences. Check out Eventbrite and Airbnb Online Experiences - there's plenty of free/cheap things you can do from your sofa (or bed!) I did a lot of art and history ones, but there's plenty of subjects to choose from!
- Learn a langauge without having to talk to other people (Use an app like Duolingo or LingoDeer, or find a free course on Coursera)
- Use an online form to book a doctor's appointment for anxiety. At my appointment, they gave me advice, recommended a fantastic 6-week online course* and gave me a pescription for meds, all within 10 mins
- *If you can't go to the doctors, self-refer to the NHS' iTalk Managing Moods course. It's a 6 week course about how to deal with mental health issues. You don't have to talk or do anything, just watch, and if you need it they will refer to you to CBT at the end :smile:

- Start a blog or free website with WordPress... Fill it with whatever you want! I'm making a little blog for myself about learning Japanese

I hope this gives you some ideas!
(EDIT: I think iTalk might be only for hampshire but it's worth a look)