The Gap Year - Making The Most Of It



Posted: Sunday, December 19, 2010

by Robert Deans
http://www.boom-online.co.uk

Dependant upon who you are speaking with the words Gap year provoke a mixed response. Parents can be worried about exactly what the gap year may include, whereas teenagers are going to be filled with excitement at the prospect. From a parent's perspective there'll be an element of concern over safety, particularly when travel overseas is involved. Many parents have mapped out their children's futures in their own heads, it will generally involve college with university following on directly after. But this isn’t necessarily the right choice for all, and doing something productive with a gap year can in fact end up being one of the best decisions a teenager ever makes. Obviously, not everyone is given an option in deciding if they should take a gap year; things can go wrong and expected grades may not be achieved.

Right at that moment this could seem like the worst thing to occur to them, but the prospects available during a gap year can stand them in great stead whenever they reapply for the course. For instance, there are numerous opportunities to learn and play sports abroad, like gap year tennis camps and gap year football camps. And, along with assisting you master the game, many of these camps may also train you in coaching. Today the competition for university places is hard, and the offer of a place is dependant on so much more than grades alone, the personal statement carries alot of weight and many conduct interviews. To be able to talk about the skills you may have learnt from your gap year experience will be unique to you and can ensure that you stand above other applicants.

Involving yourself in activities for instance a gap year football course will definitely impress, particularly if you think about the amount of focus British Universities now put on their football teams. Participation in sport when you are studying is usually a great chance for social interaction as well as being great fun. Don’t fret though if sport isn’t your forte, there is a great many other ways to spend a year out of work or education. Volunteering abroad is a wonderful way of spending a gap year, with lots of British teenagers deciding to go abroad to teach English as a foreign language. You can volunteer for charity work, helping less fortunate areas with construction projects for orphanages or schools. Or some people choose to go and work with animals. Across the world there are numerous animal charities and sanctuaries, it could be extremely fulfilling taking care of ill treated or neglected animals and rebuilding their trust in humans or reintegrating them back into the wild. Travel abroad in a gap year can be expensive, and the financial difficulty currently experienced by many might mean that heading abroad just isn't feasible.

There are plenty of opportunities volunteering in the UK, which is just as rewarding. Volunteering in the UK can give you a chance to try out a job that appeals, and can help you to establish whether that vocation will be the right one for you. Should you decide on such vocation you will have gained a good level of skills and knowledge that will help you later on. Also, while volunteering projects abroad might commit you to the full year, in the UK things should be far more flexible. You are free to work part time, and can usually commit yourself to as long or as short a period as you like. Plus in your gap year you could potentially gain experience in more than one type of work. However you elect to spend your gap year the knowledge you will gain is often invaluable in the path you ultimately choose later in the future. Whatever choices you make with regards your future, whether you decide to submit an application for university or pursue a career you will be well equipped to accomplish this with additional skills learnt, new friends and broader horizons.

This article was written by R. Deans on behalf of SportLived, experts in gap year tennis and gap year football. For more info on gap year tennis and gap year football please visit SportLived.co.uk
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