Why taking a gap year is the best investment you’ll make in your life

1. Come on, we all deserve a break!

We know what you (and your parents) are thinking – aren’t gap years for kids who’ve just finished school, but can’t be bothered to start planning for their future? Contrary to popular belief, taking a gap year doesn’t necessarily mean you’re escaping from adulthood or tough career choices. Instead, the experience might be just what you need to clear your head before you sort out your future life prospects! A break from monotony lets you explore alternative lifestyles, values, and may even lead to long-term opportunities and career options. Take this time to gather your thoughts and find a better balance in life. When you get back to work or school, you'll be feeling happier and refreshed, without getting burned out.

Related blog post:  Why it’s never too late for a grown up gap year

2. You’ll see the world differently

The best thing about going on a long journey is that you have the time to stop and smell the roses. You miss a lot of it when you’re checking off sightseeing spots while speed-walking through a city.  Give yourself more time to take in the world -- pick up the language, quirks and wisdom from another country. Engage in deep conversations, get to know the people around you, appreciate a new culture and embrace our diversities and differences -- from delicious recipes to life values that can change your direction in life!

Related blog post: 18 ways travellers perceive the world differently

You’re more likely to be able to keep to your budget and be motivated to travel cheaply if you’re travelling for an extended period of time, as opposed to if you were just taking a short-lived vacation. In other words, a gap year gives you the time to completely immerse yourself in another country and live with the locals, like a real local!

Related blog post: Stop counting countries: Travel slow and travel further

3. Because it’s all about those meaningful connections (that you can’t find anywhere else)

When who you meet on the road means more than the destination itself, that’s when you are truly living the Workaway spirit!! With a like-minded and active travel community ready to connect, not only are you able to share your adventures with your new host-family from your cultural exchange experiences, you’re also bound to be interacting with other Workawayers from all walks of life, discovering your destination through unique local events and happenings, and bonding with kind, adventurous travel lovers who want to experience the world just as much as you do. It never hurts to meet more friends, right?

4. You’ll learn to love your routine when you return

You know what they say about not being able to love life until you’ve tried to get away from it? While returning home after a year-long adventure might sound like a downer, you will soon see that everything becomes fresher with new eyes and a different perspective. Many gap year students have said that they took their academic work more seriously after having a gap year experience. You come to cherish your friendships and families at home after staying at an Amazonian forest with no wifi, and after being on the go for so long sleeping in your warm bed almost sounds like heaven! The more you know about the world out there, the more you grow to understand and appreciate your home – or you might realise that your cubicle job is not for you and decide to open a farmstay in Portugal instead, which also works!

5. Give yourself (and your CV) an extra edge

Savvy employers know that hands-on experience is always the best way to learn, and they’re definitely going to be impressed by somebody who’s ventured out and picked up unique skills abroad.

So what comes after you return home from that non-profit school or eco retreat? It doesn’t just end here. Going on a gap year means that you've had the opportunity to gain knowledge, independence and a better understanding of the world.

One of our aims at Workaway is to give language learners a platform to immerse themselves in their target language whilst travelling abroad. You never know when your Japanese skill from helping at a local school could come in handy! And who knows, maybe the problem solving skills gained from that Workaway trip at an NGO, or beekeeping and chocolate making handiness from helping at a farm might just be what sets you apart from other job candidates!

6. Everyone else is doing it!

We know the idea of travelling to a foreign country -- all by yourself, for the first time -- can be very daunting, but with the growth of sharing economy and the help of technology, information is literally at our fingertips. There’s always an app, a guidebook or a cultural exchange project that can answer your questions. It’s easier now than ever to be volunteering and travelling solo with sooo much online advice and insider tips from people who’ve been there, done that, and loved it! So don’t let that fear hold you back.

Related blog post:  How to travel on a budget using the sharing economy

7. Travel is life

There is SO much more to see in the outside world other than what’s in your school book or 9-5 office cubicle. Be curious and learn how people’s way of living differs from yours! Pick up a good habit here and there and be more knowledgeable about the world and yourself! As long as you enjoy it, there is no right or wrong to travelling. When you have travelled and formed enriching relationships, you will finally understand that home is just a concept and not a place. Home is a feeling. 💙

Related blog post: Life Lessons From Travelling & Workawaying Around the World

As the saying goes, you will only regret the things you haven’t done when you look back, and not the ones you did. Taking a gap year might sound like a lot to lose, but the memories, experiences and friends will last for a lifetime. So what are you waiting for? Are you ready to find your second home yet?