Gap Years, Wild Learning & Living Life Fully
I’m finally writing this post which has been in my head for years because of the inspirational crew I got to support at the Explore Fellowship & because oh do I support putting formal school aside in order to learn in wilder, more organic ways!
What is a ‘Gap Year’?
I suppose I should probably start here, though also just poke at the internet if you aren’t familiar. To me, “gap years” are terribly branded but incredibly valuable spaces for learning, integration, expansion, self-discovery, expanding perspectives, making new friends and more. Gap years come in all short of shapes, styles and lengths of time. They tend to include:
- Hands-on or skill-based learning
- Self-directed study or projects
- Volunteering or internships
- Traveling, homestays or other cultural exchanges
- Online courses
- Trying new things
- You can find more resources and read a bit more about the different paths you may choose here: Unleashed Learning.
Why take a gap year?
Let me count the ways…! I could probably come up with 20+ solid and convincing reasons but I’ll start with 5:
- You will learn unexpected things about yourself.
- You will gain new perspectives: on the world and on learning itself.
- It will give you insight about what you like, don’t like, and what to do next.
- It could be the most empowering thing you’ve ever done for yourself — and shape how you approach life forever.
- If you can articulate how this experience shaped you and cool things you did along the way, it will be a Show Stopper in all future interviews (and maybe even dates ;) )
Three (Oversimplified But Directionally Helpful) Steps To Taking a Gap Year
Explore the Possibilities
- Research options & do some self reflection on what you want to get out of it. Be mindful of your comfort, stretch & danger zones and the pace you life to live at. Get realistic about costs and put together a budget. Can you stay with family or friends in a new place? Can you find a work trade?
Plan
- Pick a path forward. Maybe stack together a couple phases or ‘semesters’. Think through the details. Talk it through with someone you trust. Have support systems in place.
Get out there!
- Trust the process and understand small and dramatic shifts are likely to occur. It’s all part of the learning journey. Notice “how do I adapt to meet life in it’s unexpected twists and turns?”
The Secret Sauce
There is a distinct different between traveling & being an explorer. It comes down to mindset. To me one of the essential components to a successful gap year is cultivating your capacity to intentionally guide your own learning. Shape your path. Become who you want to be rather than following the masses. And this key mindset can be gained by practicing self-directed learning. This, naturally, looks different for everyone and doesn’t mean you can’t join a structured program. Just don’t forget to make full use of your agency to ‘choose your own adventure’ at different junctures.
You can learn some of the core ideas of self-directed learning online but I also encourage you to try this simple experiment: Go to your local library and wander around the shelves. Get yourself a large stack of books by grabbing whatever catches your attention. Then sit at a table for 20 mins and flip through them. Let your curiosity guide you. Bring a few home and commit to reading a book you didn’t anticipate being interested in for 20 mins a day. Ta-da! You’re now getting in touch with a critical skill. Imagine doing this but in a giant city where you could do anything for a week. Ok now imagine you can travel to anywhere in the world — where will you go and what will you do?
How to Choose?!
Finally, I will say the options can get overwhelming. I would start by thinking through the following categories and sensing into what you feel you need right now. There are options that exist in every combination of variables so this can guide your exploration.
Variables to Consider:
- Cohort-based program, solo, or with a few others (peers, mentors, etc.)
- Length
- Structured vs more open ended/free form
- Culturally familiar or foreign
- Breadth vs depth
- Cost
My Journey (aka How I Got My Street Cred)
I have done a ton of immersive, international, group and solo, formal and informal learning experiences. Here’s a short list that is certainly incomplete:
- When I was 20 my sister and I spent 4 weeks in Cusco, Peru volunteering at an after school program -and it absolutely changed my life.
- I studied abroad in Kenya with MSID my senior year of college.
- I’ve been a part of at least a dozen service or wilderness programs.
- My best friend and I went on a 5-month ‘soul-directed’ road trip across the Western US and only paid for 2 nights at a hotel the entire time.
- I spent a year teaching design thinking and helping co-create the foundations of a sustainability-minded community in the Panamanian jungle.
- I’ve gotten to know countless amazing humans and learning projects through the Ecoversities & Reimagining Education webs.
- I briefly worked for Verto, visiting close to 100 high schools and talking to students about how amazing infusing your learning with time abroad is.
- I led and designed gap year programs for Winterline, a company that closed during the pandemic but I directly coordinated with dozens of partners around the world.
- I have tabled at 10+ gap year fairs so I got to meet tons of folks who work in this space. If you’re considering a gap year company that’s more than 4 years old I probably know someone who has worked for them. HMU.
OK mostly I included this list because I got to link all these amazzzzing projects I know and love — and nostalgia. But also: street cred.
I hope this was inspiring. Life is for living. Get out there. & don’t forget to write ;)
P.S. There’s a whole other post I want to write about how to support meaningful learning as part of these types of experiences. Poke me if you want to read it and don’t see it posted yet.
