Gap Year

[tomfitz12]

I'm on my gap year at the moment but have no real clue of what to do. I'm looking for something to do over the summer months (don't want to miss the end of the season) but need more ideas.

Anyone got any suggestions?

 

[essbee]

I know Arsenal run summer internships .......why not ask the Albion?

 

[Taybha]

If you can afford it , sign up for some volunteer work with a high street charity , it will make you feel good and a certain 100 godly brownie points , yes you get home smelling a bit musty but you do get to pick all the best Sergio Tacchini handmedowns

 

[JakyBF]

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I know Arsenal run summer internships .......why not ask the Albion?

I thought the albion stopped all that after they were falsely named as 'not paying the minimum wage' in the press.

 

[Seagullssss]

Nothing infuriates me more than when people go on a gap yeah with no plan.

So you've delayed your studies for a year? Presumably know what you're doing at uni? Then why not get some work experience or a job for your chosen field?

If not, at least go travelling and broaden your horizons. Nothing worse than people who just sit on their backside for a year

 

[Hiney]

Nothing infuriates me more than when people go on a gap yeah with no plan.

So you've delayed your studies for a year? Presumably know what you're doing at uni? Then why not get some work experience or a job for your chosen field?

If not, at least go travelling and broaden your horizons. Nothing worse than people who just sit on their backside for a year

This, 100%

 

[tomfitz12]

Nothing infuriates me more than when people go on a gap yeah with no plan.

So you've delayed your studies for a year? Presumably know what you're doing at uni? Then why not get some work experience or a job for your chosen field?

If not, at least go travelling and broaden your horizons. Nothing worse than people who just sit on their backside for a year

I understand you point, and have thought this myself.

I took my gap year as I'd been in education for 14 years, wanted a break and saw no way in which it would give me less chance of success in uni. I had initially planned to go on a ski season but this has so far not gone to plan. I have money saved up from working full time so far this year and so now am looking for options.

Backpacking is an option I am very interested in and so to go on from this- where would you recommend? The post wasn't a cry for help, more a reach out to anyone who may have some nice suggestions.

I already have a place at uni as I applied for a deferred entry. I also have the opportunity to work abroad this summer already given to me and I was merely looking for any other suggestions.

So I do have a plan, I would just like to see if anyone else has a suggestion which may interest me. Whatever it may be, I will be abroad this summer; the question at the moment is where.

 

[Bigtomfu]

I understand you point, and have thought this myself.

I took my gap year as I'd been in education for 14 years, wanted a break and saw no way in which it would give me less chance of success in uni. I had initially planned to go on a ski season but this has so far not gone to plan. I have money saved up from working full time so far this year and so now am looking for options.

Backpacking is an option I am very interested in and so to go on from this- where would you recommend? The post wasn't a cry for help, more a reach out to anyone who may have some nice suggestions.

I already have a place at uni as I applied for a deferred entry. I also have the opportunity to work abroad this summer already given to me and I was merely looking for any other suggestions.

So I do have a plan, I would just like to see if anyone else has a suggestion which may interest me. Whatever it may be, I will be abroad this summer; the question at the moment is where.

So in an attempt to be genuinely helpful here's what I did 16 years ago versus what I would do now if 36 year old me had the chance to tell me what to do:

What I did:

Worked in a bureau de change to save up enough money to allow for 6 months travel through North America.

Started in Toronto, used an Amtrak rail pass to work our way down the East Coast all the way to Florida. Spent time in the usual places then chilled out in St Pete's Beach area before heading down to the Keys and then flew over to Texas and headed up to Vegas to see the Grand Canyon etc before flying home.

What I'd do now:

Work for six months and then sod off to South East Asia and do similar. This part of the world is going to be the engine room of the global economy for the rest of your working life and anything you can do to experience it now before it changes much more/lay some ground work for a future career would be hugely beneficial not to mention awesome fun!

 

[Bean]

I understand you point, and have thought this myself.

I took my gap year as I'd been in education for 14 years, wanted a break and saw no way in which it would give me less chance of success in uni. I had initially planned to go on a ski season but this has so far not gone to plan. I have money saved up from working full time so far this year and so now am looking for options.

Backpacking is an option I am very interested in and so to go on from this- where would you recommend? The post wasn't a cry for help, more a reach out to anyone who may have some nice suggestions.

I already have a place at uni as I applied for a deferred entry. I also have the opportunity to work abroad this summer already given to me and I was merely looking for any other suggestions.

So I do have a plan, I would just like to see if anyone else has a suggestion which may interest me. Whatever it may be, I will be abroad this summer; the question at the moment is where.

As stated above, make sure you do something with your year, otherwise a whole year out will have proven to be a bit pointless.

I worked for half of mine and then went traveling for 3 months to Aus, NZ and Thailand. Australia and NZ are nice but very expensive for your average backpacker. If I could have done it again I would have just gone round South East Asia for the same amount of time (Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam etc) as it is dirt cheap and it is a different culture to experience. I recommend going with at least one person but going on your could be an option.

Otherwise getting some work experience under your belt can only be beneficial not only to find out what you want/don't want to do in life but it also looks good on your CV. Not many people get any work experience at all before their first graduate job let alone before university.

 

[Braggfan]

I'd go do some traveling. If you get yourself out to Australia, spend a few months fruit picking and you can earn some money to then travel around with. Also if you're traveling on your own you'll meet people to travel around with while your fruit picking.
All in all going traveling on your own is an amazing experience, you learn a lot about yourself, and it's amazing having the freedom to go where you want and do what you want whenever you want. If you have any problems you have to fix them yourself, so you learn some common sense pretty quickly and that will always stand you in good stead for whatever you do next.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I'd go to aus/N.Z, Asia(thailand, vietnam, Indonesia etc) or south America. Basically the places furthest from where you live and to which once you are working will be too costly and time consuming to visit.

If you have some money already saved up go now (well, after christmas) to one of those destinations for a few months, go back to England for the final month of the season to see us promoted(hopefully!) and then go to wherever the option overseas is that you mentioned for the summer.

 

[alfredmizen]

I'm on my gap year at the moment but have no real clue of what to do. I'm looking for something to do over the summer months (don't want to miss the end of the season) but need more ideas.

Anyone got any suggestions?

What's the point in taking a gap year if you havent got a clue what to do ?

 

[alfredmizen]

Nothing infuriates me more than when people go on a gap yeah with no plan.

So you've delayed your studies for a year? Presumably know what you're doing at uni? Then why not get some work experience or a job for your chosen field?

If not, at least go travelling and broaden your horizons. Nothing worse than people who just sit on their backside for a year

Why's it infuriate you ? Not hurting you is it ?

 

[whitelion]

Why's it infuriate you ? Not hurting you is it ?

People need something to be "infuriated" about.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Thought this was the title of Alan Pardews Palarse training manual.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

[MENTION=26348]tomfitz12[/MENTION] why has the ski season idea not worked out?

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

I travelled India, Australia and the USA for 7 months on mine, with short stops also in Singapore, New Zealand, Canada and Mexico.

 

[tomfitz12]

What's the point in taking a gap year if you havent got a clue what to do ?

I answered this further up- I didn't mean to say I dont have a clue, just that I would like more suggestions. Here is what I posted earlier:


I understand you point, and have thought this myself.

I took my gap year as I'd been in education for 14 years, wanted a break and saw no way in which it would give me less chance of success in uni. I had initially planned to go on a ski season but this has so far not gone to plan. I have money saved up from working full time so far this year and so now am looking for options.

Backpacking is an option I am very interested in and so to go on from this- where would you recommend? The post wasn't a cry for help, more a reach out to anyone who may have some nice suggestions.

I already have a place at uni as I applied for a deferred entry. I also have the opportunity to work abroad this summer already given to me and I was merely looking for any other suggestions.

So I do have a plan, I would just like to see if anyone else has a suggestion which may interest me. Whatever it may be, I will be abroad this summer; the question at the moment is where.

 

[tomfitz12]

[MENTION=26348]tomfitz12[/MENTION] why has the ski season idea not worked out?

There is still the possibility I could go. I was advised I would be and then due to a lot of returning workers from last year (who get the job without question) I was put on a reserve list which has no guarantee of working out. I would still love to go, just not sure how likely it is.