Gap Year 2025-26
Background
I have a BSc in Geology and Physics - I did that degree when I was 18-26. Covid pandemic and my poor mental health meant it took ages to get to the final year, by which I dropped out during it due to the coursework being too difficult. Lecturers were saying my work was college level HND and not up to Honours level and they advised me to go back and repeat year 3. I got very disillusioned with university because I wasn't at the level I should have been despite working so hard to get there.
Did four years of starting my own business by teaching kids ABRSM piano grades after I dropped out with only an Ordinary degree in hand.
Present
Now I've applied to UCAS again and wish to start from year 1 for aerospace engineering - hoping it will make me more employable. Both my firm and insurance universities have deferred my entry to 2026.
I tried planning out a gap year before entering a Scottish University as a mature student. I'll be 30 by the time I'm a first year.
Some goals I want to achieve are:
1. Learn and pass driving test
2. Pass ARSM piano diploma
3. Save up ￡1820 for a year of university tuition by getting a part-time job.
4. Go travelling
I don't really have any questions but will be updating this to make it a blog for my gap year and see if I achieve those set goals.
I have a BSc in Geology and Physics - I did that degree when I was 18-26. Covid pandemic and my poor mental health meant it took ages to get to the final year, by which I dropped out during it due to the coursework being too difficult. Lecturers were saying my work was college level HND and not up to Honours level and they advised me to go back and repeat year 3. I got very disillusioned with university because I wasn't at the level I should have been despite working so hard to get there.
Did four years of starting my own business by teaching kids ABRSM piano grades after I dropped out with only an Ordinary degree in hand.
Present
Now I've applied to UCAS again and wish to start from year 1 for aerospace engineering - hoping it will make me more employable. Both my firm and insurance universities have deferred my entry to 2026.
I tried planning out a gap year before entering a Scottish University as a mature student. I'll be 30 by the time I'm a first year.
Some goals I want to achieve are:
1. Learn and pass driving test
2. Pass ARSM piano diploma
3. Save up ￡1820 for a year of university tuition by getting a part-time job.
4. Go travelling
I don't really have any questions but will be updating this to make it a blog for my gap year and see if I achieve those set goals.
(edited 5 months ago)
Reply 1
Good luck! I look forward to hearing about what you get up to : )
Reply 2
18
Original post
by SodaMontgomeryGood luck! I look forward to hearing about what you get up to : )
thank you
Reply 3
18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl92V0GRmgw&t=1s
Will be documenting my gap year and education life on YouTube also!
Will be documenting my gap year and education life on YouTube also!
Reply 4
18
Changed one of the goals to record and release an EP. My new teacher isn't available for teaching me the diploma.
Reply 5
18
I'm going to hopefully start learning driving this month. I'm waiting a couple more weeks for my driving instructor as she has broken her wrist.😢 I hope she recovers soon!
I managed to get a guitarist and a bassist last week for my band ZenZone and I'm the lead singer and keyboardist. We're working towards recording our first EP together by doing weekly rehearsals and learning/creating the songs.
I also managed to do a two-day virtual internship online with NextGen in video game design where I learned to write a pitch for a new video game and a new dog character. You can do it too: https://www.u-explore.com/page/nextgen-virtualworkexperience
I managed to get a guitarist and a bassist last week for my band ZenZone and I'm the lead singer and keyboardist. We're working towards recording our first EP together by doing weekly rehearsals and learning/creating the songs.
I also managed to do a two-day virtual internship online with NextGen in video game design where I learned to write a pitch for a new video game and a new dog character. You can do it too: https://www.u-explore.com/page/nextgen-virtualworkexperience
Reply 6
18
My driving instructor has recovered from her broken wrist but says she'll return to teaching in early April. I just applied for my provisional license lately.
My band ZenZone has it's full line-up now with a drummer. He's in other bands but it doesn't matter as it was so hard to find one in the first place.
I'm learning guitar weekly with an online tutor. And we're learning Starseeker by Sungha Jung. I'm at 45K youtube subscribers now and I'm really pleased at how my follower count is growing. Next, I'm aiming to get my TikTok to 5k followers, it's almost at 2.9K at the moment.
My band ZenZone has it's full line-up now with a drummer. He's in other bands but it doesn't matter as it was so hard to find one in the first place.
I'm learning guitar weekly with an online tutor. And we're learning Starseeker by Sungha Jung. I'm at 45K youtube subscribers now and I'm really pleased at how my follower count is growing. Next, I'm aiming to get my TikTok to 5k followers, it's almost at 2.9K at the moment.
Reply 7
18
I already travelled to Newcastle for two days recently for our family to meet up with my mum's friend. We had quite a meal feast and the hot pot was amazing there!
Reply 8
18
I have also decided not to do the LRSM diploma as my interest isn't in piano at the moment. It is more in singing and learning to play the guitar.
Reply 9
18
I've recieved my provisional license and will be having my first driving lesson in May.
Made a few purchases lately for entertainment like a PS5 and a cajon. I also bought a 3/4 size classical guitar for playing Sungha's music as I can't make one of the stretches on the full size acoustic. The nylon strings are much softer and sounds different.
Made a few purchases lately for entertainment like a PS5 and a cajon. I also bought a 3/4 size classical guitar for playing Sungha's music as I can't make one of the stretches on the full size acoustic. The nylon strings are much softer and sounds different.
Reply 10
18
I withdrew my UCAS application because I felt like I should do a music degree instead since I am better at it. My dad knows two men who did Aerospace Engineering but could not find a job in their field afterwards. Whereas I can make money composing for piano and teaching piano even right now without the degree.
Reply 11
18
Went on holiday to Antalya, Turkey for a week and had the best time! But I got hay fever during the holiday and I'm still suffering from a really bad runny nose. I went to the pharmacy yesterday and they gave me medicine with minimal effect right now.
Reply 12
Hi i'm going to take the ABRSM piano grade 2 test the 11th of june, do you have any advice with side reading or singing for the aural test?
Thank you!!
Thank you!!
Reply 13
18
Original post
by yhhiuh2efjhjwdHi i'm going to take the ABRSM piano grade 2 test the 11th of june, do you have any advice with side reading or singing for the aural test?
Thank you!!
Thank you!!
With sightreading, keep practicing with the sightreading books or try sightreading new pieces at the correct level. I haven't taught many people aural skills because most of them a Performance grade students and not practical grades.
Reply 14
Original post
by GeolPhysicsWith sightreading, keep practicing with the sightreading books or try sightreading new pieces at the correct level. I haven't taught many people aural skills because most of them a Performance grade students and not practical grades.
Thank you!!!Reply 15
Really inspiring to see your goals so clearly laid out—especially with everything you've overcome. Teaching piano to kids is such a great skill, and I bet there were plenty of fun moments along the way. Mixing in some jokes for kids probably helped too—I’ve found trusted sites like https://kidsforjokes.com are great for keeping things light during lessons. Wishing you all the best on your gap year and your journey into aerospace engineering!
Reply 16
18
Going to do Maths and Physics in the Access to Higher Education course at Glasgow University this Sept. Hopefully this will allow me to get an offer at Glasgow University.
Reply 17
18
I've been practicing a couple of my ARSM piano pieces for a month now. Excited to keep cracking on with more of the piano programme that I have to learn. I got a new teacher just for this as my former teacher only did her Grade 8 and is not up to standard with teaching the diploma. I'm planning to sit the diploma in April 2026 at the earliest.
I started learning driving in May and have so far had three lessons but now my instructor is on a two week holiday in Spain for her dad's 60th birthday. We will resume lessons afterwards.
These few days I've been to the open day on Thursday at University of Glasgow, revising over National 5 Maths and Physics on BBC Bitesize as the Access to HE course is half Higher and half Advanced Higher level and they told us we must have a solid foundation of National 5 first. I'm surprised at how much National 5 things I remember as I did my Standard Grades & Intermediate 2 exams back in 2012. I looked online for a private tutor to potentially make me get a head start on doing past papers for the Access course when they're released on 1st July and I had a chat with him yesterday on the phone, he said he's happy to help.
For Christmas this year, my mum and I are planning to go on a cheap holiday to somewhere sunny while the rest of the family goes to Hong Kong (I've been there multiple times before and I'm bored of the place.)
I started learning driving in May and have so far had three lessons but now my instructor is on a two week holiday in Spain for her dad's 60th birthday. We will resume lessons afterwards.
These few days I've been to the open day on Thursday at University of Glasgow, revising over National 5 Maths and Physics on BBC Bitesize as the Access to HE course is half Higher and half Advanced Higher level and they told us we must have a solid foundation of National 5 first. I'm surprised at how much National 5 things I remember as I did my Standard Grades & Intermediate 2 exams back in 2012. I looked online for a private tutor to potentially make me get a head start on doing past papers for the Access course when they're released on 1st July and I had a chat with him yesterday on the phone, he said he's happy to help.
For Christmas this year, my mum and I are planning to go on a cheap holiday to somewhere sunny while the rest of the family goes to Hong Kong (I've been there multiple times before and I'm bored of the place.)
Reply 18
Hello, I'm also on a gap year this year.
I'm wondering if you have any tips about getting a job as I've been struggling tysm
I'm wondering if you have any tips about getting a job as I've been struggling tysm
Reply 19
18
Original post
by MaryamMajickHello, I'm also on a gap year this year.
I'm wondering if you have any tips about getting a job as I've been struggling tysm
I'm wondering if you have any tips about getting a job as I've been struggling tysm
I couldn't find a job so I became I self-employed piano teacher.
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