Taking a Gap Year and Why It’s a Good Option

When my teen first mentioned taking a gap year in between high school and college, I’ll admit I was surprised. They had always dreamed of pursuing a career in film since spending a bit of time on a movie set at eight years of age. When the director and his younger daughter offered my child a chance to see “behind the scenes,” it grew into a fascination ever since. Then, there was a summer film camp for teens, volunteering on indie movie sets and checking out where the next series will be filmed in town.

Many kids plan their careers well in advance, with university or college applications, student loans, or scholarship forms filled out well before their final year of high school. Some of us have parents, maybe grandparents, who saved for over a decade to ensure adequate funding for a four-year degree program. Most kids realize that education is their ticket to a better salary and career from a young age.

A gap year may seem like an unnecessary delay, especially when everything is ready, but some significant advantages are. When the pandemic changed everything in 2020, it gave many of us a chance to reflect on our life goals and direction. Some people made drastic career changes or reset their business model to survive in a virtual, on-demand platform.