Taking a gap year

By: Young Person

A story, home made by me

When I finished high school, I felt like the only person who didn't know what I wanted. At the year 12 leaving do, we all sat around talking about where we would be in a years time. Most talked about being a year into a maths, psychology, horticulture, or education degree. Some talked about their hairdressing apprenticeships and others about taking over their fathers motorcycle repair shops. Me, well I smiled politely and said 'I'm not really sure, we'll see what happens when my marks arrives.'

When my mark did arrive, it was 25 marks better than expected, and I had been offered a scholarship to study at one of the best schools around. My friends and family were thrilled for me, and to be honest I was pretty chuffed too. However, when it came to crunch time, my signature never ended up on the acceptance form. No one could understand why I didn't take up this 'amazing offer'. But it wasn't about what my parents, or partner wanted, it was about what I wanted and needed. I needed to get out into the real world for a while and take time out to do things on my own terms and find out what it was I really wanted out of life.

That year was spent doing a whole range of things, from set building and dramaturgy, to working in a shop and writing articles and reviews for a local industry newspaper. I found that I really enjoyed some things and hated doing others. Skills and talents began to emerge that lay outside the music industry. But the year was drifting along and I still didn't really have any idea what to do with my life.

In a rather drastic attempt to throw myself head first into a reality check, I boarded a plane headed for the village in the UK where I was born. It took me a few months of further drifting, but I have finally found which direction to take. I've rolled all my skills together and now use the performing arts to help young people cope with their problems.

But I feel there is only so far I can go with this having only an HSC. So finally, after two years of intense soul searching I am ready to use that TER and start Uni. I'm glad I didn't give into the pressure of diving straight into Uni, Taking a Gap year (or two) was the right thing for me to do. It has put things into focus for me, given me the time to do the growing up I needed to do and allowed me to learn a few things along the way.