Since it all began, gap year is really a year for teenagers who look forward for a big break after years of “endless” learning and schooling. When time comes for them to graduate high school, as they throw their graduation caps, some students are also looking forward to really take a break and avail the gap year opportunities that they have always been wanting on the first place.

Come to think of it, how is it that gap year has become a trend in today’s times already? How did it start? When has it all started?

Well, since we’re talking about gap year programs here, let’s just have a quick flashback about the history of gap year in itself. We’ll be tackling a few highlights here so stay tuned.

Do you know that the concept of gap year started as early as 1960’s? Yes; its name was derived in the decade following the Second World War when youth travel and cultural exchange was discussed amongst Governments as a useful tool to create more of a global understanding to prevent future global wars. However, the first gap year obviously started in the UK on the same decade when the baby-boomer generation in the midst of the ‘Swinging sixties’ headed off to India on the infamous Hippie Trails, inventing the ‘independent travel market’.

On 1970’s, the demand for gap year continues. It even resulted in the pioneers of the independent travel market establishing businesses to satisfy this demand. According to a source, Australian Graham ‘Screw’ Turner based in London in 1973 loaded a double decker bus with the first paying customers and drove them to Kathmandu. They arrived 3 weeks late. Top Deck Travel, the company he founded, still exists today. In the same year a young Brit by the name of Tony Wheeler, headed off on an overland trip across Asia. His need for basic travel information inspired the book ‘Across Asia on the Cheap’ and was the first title under his Lonely Planet brand, which became the world’s largest travel guide publisher. With a tour company and self-help travel advice, the independent travel market was born.

Today, names like Tom Griffiths and Peter Pedrick wave their names in the gap year market since they are considered to be the people who are known as modern gap year pioneers and had brought the gap year market online.

So what are you waiting for? Continue to walk on the legacy of gap year and make it an experience that would give you incredible understanding about what gap year is all about.

There are lots of gap year programs available on various gap year organizations and arrangements as far as details are concerned. There are those programs that offer volunteer projects, sport teaching and gap year opportunities, language learning and equipping, and so on.

So the kind of gap year takers are based depending on the most common gap year programs available. And to know what program is best suitable for you, you have to know what kind of gapper you really are.

Written by Independent, there are various kinds of gappers suited to each person. So which among these lists do you think you are?

Are you the Volunteer?
You must have been so eager to give a hand to those who are in need. Are you passionate, young, who are willing to work in a community without necessarily minding all the things you could contribute for the sake of your people? You must really have a big heart, no wonder you wanted to take the opportunity to go volunteering. If you are this person, probably the volunteering projects offered by various gap year organizers are your suitable choice.

Are you the Hippy?
People who are often termed this way seemed to be interpreted as the easy-go-lucky ones. Well, at some point, they are, but they don’t just go out to a place and do nothing, you know. They’re more than just the tourists in a foreign country. They seek cultural immersion. You may want to go to common cosmopolitans or go for the ancient ones. Discovering and understanding the culture of someone’s country makes a hippy person satisfied at how individual culture is well-appreciated.

Are you the Careerist?
Lots of people are taking gap year for specific reasons, and one of the reasons of taking gap year is to pursue a program that would relate to their career. Careerists are usually futuristic. They choose the kind of program that will give them much benefits and advantage for their profession.

Are you the Sportsman?
Basically, if you are so avid with all kinds of sports, you will definitely consider sports activities as your gap year program. Basketball or volleyball may be too common, but kayaking, bungee jumping, and white water rafting are a lot more different!

So which among these kinds of gappers are you?

Interested in what gap year is and what is it really all about? Here are four of the various FAQ that gap year takers and parents often want to know about its information. Let’s read it out.

Question #1: What is a Gap Year?

A gap year, as far as its words speak for itself means it is a period of time when students take a break from formal education to travel, volunteer, study, intern, work, perform research or any combination of gap year projects or activities. Its term and its nature of work are also similar to an interim year, deferring college, an overseas experience or taking time out. Students who take gap year courses or programs are called “gappers”.

Question #2: What are the Benefits of Taking a Gap Year?

Even if some countries are condemning gap year because it is not a major priority, still, there are benefits that you can enjoy. Gap year can actually help you with the following aspects:

1. Clarify your career interests and goals
2. Gain a sense of maturity and self confidence
3. Renew your passion for college coursework and learning
4. Develop your organizational and life skills
5. Discover your interests and passions, prior to committing to college
6. Broaden your perspective of other cultures, views and global awareness
7. Improve job prospects with employers seeking grads with practical experience

Question #3: What types of activities could I do on a gap year?

To answer this question, the activities you will actually do rotate to various activities and gap year projects. These activities could be anything as long as it is done overseas; it’s the most taken option for gappers. Some study, work, or volunteer abroad. Some choose to explore or travel in the US or internationally, others work or intern in the US or internationally. You could also learn a new skill or obtain a certification.

Question #4: How much can I expect to pay to take a gap year?

It actually depends. What you do and where you go are the common factors to consider for the price range of your gap year program. The actual cost may also range on their accommodation and daily basic needs. For a more specific figure, you may refer a gap year organizer of your choice and you can choose which program is indeed suitable for you.

Some countries encourage students to take gap year activities. Some are even making it compulsory. While some are also prohibiting youngsters to avail such opportunity due to various disadvantages, some have also been gradually embracing its importance as well.

But ask yourself this question, really. Is it that necessary at all to take gap year programs before proceeding to college?

Well, according to a blog posted by Danielle Wood, famous American universities like Princeton, Harvard, Tufts, and MIT are urging students to consider something that would make most parents cringe: The idea of putting off college for a year in favor of some much-needed downtime.

I personally agree the well-explained reasons of Danielle Wood why such act is greatly encouraged. Allow to me to quote it:

“Why? A growing number of high school seniors are balking at riding the academic conveyer belt from preschool all the way to university. They’re burnt out—or not quite ready. Or they want to explore a few interests before deciding what to study in college. So instead of packing their bags in anticipation of freshman year, they’re volunteering in New Orleans or teaching in Thailand. They’re starting the great American novel, or interning to help figure out what they want to do with their lives.”

Wouldn’t this be a better idea than letting kids do nothing at all? Some teens who graduated after high school usually don’t want to precede college immediately. Most of them—though not all, but most of them just want to have a quick break.

Do you know that researches show that teenagers who take gap year before proceeding college actually become more focused and ready in their academic life? It pities how some teens end up shifting one course to another and spend lots of money for nothing because they honestly have not decided yet what they really wanted. The gap year is the perfect time for letting these kids thinks as to what they really want and what they want to become in the near future. Some has overlooked this importance; let yourself get reminded of these words.

Have you ever wondered how gap year became a trend to almost all age groups nowadays? How long did it actually start to get enticing with other people? How did it started on the first place?

This time, we will be tackling on what gap year is really all about. How it has become essentially important to those who want to develop their careers and take a closer step to their dreams.

Gap year is the common name for a certain period where students take time off to do something aside from studying and before proceeding to college. It is also known by others as sabbatical, time off and time out. Usually, a gap year’s period lasts to a few months only, not entirely covering the whole 12 months. Before, it has not been the trend among youngsters but when they gradually knew that the gap year projects available here were indeed advantageous, there had been an increase especially those in 21-23 year old kids taking time out after they complete their degree.

As far as history is concerned, gap year really started in Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom. This gay year is actually not a new trend since it was already been practiced during the 1960’s already. During this time, a student may choose to travel, engage in volunteer work overseas, or just prefer undertaking a working holiday abroad. Years past and the incredible gap year extended among students not just in UK but also in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. The programs then in gap year has eventually evolved and became more versatile, giving more various choices that combine language study, home stays, cultural immersion, community service, and independent study.

In this present year, gap year programs, added more and more including the adult gap year, and it has greatly increased on various schools and universities. Students and adults alike find this as very attractive option for future career development.

Other countries however, have little participation on gap year to be practiced among youngsters. Denmark, for example, has sought to limit the number of students who take a year out, penalizing students who delay their education to travel abroad or work full time.

So if you honestly have the opportunity to avail gap year today, go ahead and take it! It’s not always all countries tolerate or practice this, so take this gap year today if you have the chance.

You often hear and read in the articles about gap year programs, gap year travels in different countries, gap year volunteering, student and adult gap year, and more. But the real thing about what a gap year is, how it started, and why is being practiced now doesn’t seem to be detailed to us.

So what is gap year, by the way? How does it contribute to us?

Known for its terms like “year abroad”, “year off”, “bridging year”, and “deferred year”, gap year is a season when students take a time out and do something different other than the typical schooling, travel, or work. The gap year is commonly taken after secondary schooling and before starting classes in universities or colleges, but now youngsters aging 21 to 23 are also taking gap year programs after completing a degree. Internships can also be considered as one of the student gap year programs. These all depends according to a youth’s preference in availing this opportunity.

Gap year initiation was first developed in the UK during the 1960s. Young people in the United Kingdom used to travel locally or abroad, engage a volunteer work or perhaps work on holidays. Time passed and it became exceedingly adventurous that involves the person of John Blashford-Snell and the Prince of Wales. These two took an expedition voyage where they followed the route of Sir Francis Drake.

During 1980, Cornelius H. Bull promoted gap year in the United States. Not later than that, it spread out on various foreign countries around the world, including Australia, New Zealand and Canada. But this time, it doesn’t just focus on one or two tasks but it became more versatile. Community service, cultural immersion, language study, home stays, and independent study are few of the various gap year programs being added. Now, since travel becomes a trend among the common lifestyle of the majority, schools and universities encourage youngsters to take gap year programs since it is very helpful for the development of their future careers.

Various countries practice gap year differently. As for Denmark, gap year is greatly discouraged; and the country even proposed a new law which gives a bonus to students who refrain from a gap year.

In Japan, they have an employment practice where students are matched with jobs before graduation, and gap year practice is not really the same like of the pioneering countries.

However, the country of Yemen makes the gap year program compulsory. Unless the student attended a private university, basically students should wait for a year before they can apply. This one year gap is often the period where young men are obliged to join to an army, while young women are to teach in a school or work in a hospital.

See how gap year arises and becomes very helpful? The people’s responds may vary depending on the country they live in, but the bottom line of it is that it actually has a contribution to a person’s social, personal, and even mental aspects.

When you think about a gap year program usually don’t count on how this experience can change your way of thinking and how this will turn in your working life. However there are different cases in which after the gap year a new and completely different job opportunity comes to the traveler and he or she decided to leave his /her old job.

Sandra Canudas founded a travel consulting company for women after she did a lonely around-world trip. Her firm advices women about independent travel: how, when and where o travel avoiding troubles and bureaucratic problems. All as a result of her own experiences traveling and how she managed to solve daily life.

Erik Rustelo was in a gap year travel in France when he met Rosemary and felt in love. At the time to come back home, Erik realized he was not only in love with Rosemary but with the country too and become an English teacher in France when he has been living for the last 10 years.

Ahren Fenstermacher is a 35 years old man from Bamberg that is living and working in Auckland, New Zealand. Six years ago he was going to take control in family business but before he travel so far for a gap year volunteer work in sea recovering project and a local company offered him to join their staff, he was working to that company for 2 years and eventually he founded his own biotech company.

These are only three examples of what a gap year can produce in your life and working future. Whatever you think your life will be, it could be completely different after a gap year experience.

Frequently many students that finish high school take a gap year travel after senior year and before starting college but you don’t need to be a teenager to enjoy a gap year program and make profit of it for your personal of professional life.

Tradition dates back centuries when ancient Hebrews takes a whole year rest every seven years. Truly they did it as an agricultural practice allowed to leave the land without working for replenishment (fallow) after 6 consecutive years of harvest. Nowadays people don’t take this rest for agricultural reasons but to disconnect from routine and take a breath. As well as you are a teacher looking to acquire new knowledge so you can teach better or you are a doctor wanting to cooperate in a far place, sure you will enjoy your gap year projects and learn a lot.

Actually if you are a grown-up your expectations are quite different from high school students. Adults look for professional improvement, travel around the world or give a twist to their lives.

Thinking about travel during that time many people choose to make their dreams trip but in this case you shouldn’t forget to hire a good gap year travel insurance that cover any unexpected event as illnesses, lost or stolen documents or early returns for any reason.

Make sure that if you go trough the Internet you could find many information to plan your year and you are not the only adult thinking about taking a rest so if you are really convinced, make it real!

One of the great joys of life is to see oneself developing as a mature person. Coping with challenges, taking responsibilities, gaining the confidence from others and creating self esteem are part of the development to become complete. It’s a life-long and rewarding process of evolution.

Being a young person and seeing oneself becoming an army officer probably requires a real vocation. The energy and the potential lay in every young person to become what he or she wants to be. Relatives should make plans towards developing this vocation, support and encouragement.

A gap year is a thrilling experience if it’s spent out of the everyday life environment. It is often the first occasion to face the real world and face oneself. It’s a spark that can trigger passion and dedication towards a career. A year in a military camp sounds different than an average gap year travel across the world or taking leisure time. But it can be much more rewarding to the one feeling this vocation towards the army. It could be a once in a life-time experience for them. So there should be no question.

Despite passion and vocation, one should not forget the realities of life and society. For example, it takes some level of education before leaving school, and no insufficient culture puts a young person at risk for the future. A gap year should not last more than 12 months and should be an encouragement to endeavor successfully towards the end of school.

This story is about a friend of mine called Christopher Dingley. After graduating High School, Chris and a couple of his friends wanted to do a Gap Year Travel and so they went to some great places around the world for 5 months and did great gap year activities. On their trip, they saw amazing things and met people they will never forget…

The friends started off by visiting and travel Thailand; this is one of the most beautiful cheap places in the world. You can see a lot without spending too much money. The nightlife is also very good in Thailand. But in order to do more cultural stuff, Chris and his friends went to travel Cambodia and visit Vietnam where they saw great statues and buildings and relived the war in Vietnam by wandering through the tunnels, seeing the horrible traps from the Vietnamese people and even shooting with guns.

Afterwards, the gap year trip continued towards Singapore, Australia and especially New Zealand where they did amazing stuff. Chris told me that New Zealand was one of his best experiences and everyone has to go there if you have the opportunity. The only negative part, he said, is that it’s very expensive because you want to do as much as possible: walking in glaciers, visiting crocodile farms, going on boat trips, skydiving over the best place in the world to do so, and this is just a little summary of all the great opportunities of the South Pacific island.

At the Fiji Island, Chris and his friends experienced the slow, relaxing way of life at one of the most magical beaches in the world. They travelled extremely beautiful islands for three weeks and prepared themselves for more mainstream stuff. Because afterwards, they visited Hollywood and other attractions in Los Angeles, went to travel Mexico and they finished their perfect trip in a perfect way by going to Las Vegas and live the Las Vegas life for one night.

Talking about a good way to experience a gap year program, I think Chris and his friends topped it all