How You Can Improve Yourself by Traveling During a Gap Year

Most of your high school classmates are probably preparing their college applications. Yet you may not be ready to attend a university as soon as you graduate. If you want to take a break from lectures and essays, you can instead opt for a gap year between high school and college.

You may have heard some pros and cons of a gap year. Parents particularly fear that a gap year will cause their children to lose motivation for college and fall behind their peers.

However, many students end up more prepared and excited about college after taking a year off from school. This is especially true for students who choose to travel during their gap year. Travel can put you in a better position to succeed in your chosen field. Here are some ways traveling around the world helps you self-improve.

1. You Will Leave Your Comfort Zone

You have probably spent the majority of your life surrounded by the same group of people. Your friends and relatives likely eat the same food and speak the same language that you do. Traveling around the world will help you grow by introducing you to new cultures.

High school life is usually pretty predictable, as well. You get up in the morning, go to school and then attend extracurricular activities in the afternoon. However, travel is much less predictable. Sudden weather changes or canceled flights can quickly change your plans. As you become an adult, you will have to deal with many unexpected situations. Getting more comfortable with these scenarios will set you up for success moving forward.

2. You Will Learn Important Life Skills

During your travels around the world, you will hone and practice certain skills that you will need in college and the rest of your life. For instance, time management is particularly important on the days of your flights. If you do not leave yourself enough time to get to the airport, you could miss your plane and lose thousands of dollars.

Indeed, managing money is an important part of any travel experience. You will need to decide what is worth buying, and what you cannot afford. Budgeting is an essential skill that every adult needs to learn.

Making your itineraries will also force you to practice your planning skills. You will need to stay organized to ensure you do everything you want during your trips.

For a well-rounded college experience, you also need strong social skills. As you travel around the world, you will meet new people outside of your high school bubble. Interacting with these fellow travelers or residents of other countries help you learn to deal with different types of people from various backgrounds.

3. You Will Get More Confident and Independent

You are probably used to relying on your parents or friends for certain things. Traveling will force you to become more independent. You will have to solve daily problems on your own since your loved ones will be halfway across the world.

This, in turn, should make you more confident. As you learn to handle difficult situations on your own, you will realize that you are ready to live on your own. Even little victories such as briefly conversing in a foreign language or haggling over a souvenir price can make you feel better about yourself.

4. You Will Become Smarter

No matter where you travel, you will learn to understand how other people operate. You will also have to handle various paperwork and other minutiae. This should give your intelligence a boost.

You can also use your travels to learn about the history and culture of different regions. To truly study the world, you should visit both European countries and Latin or island nations.

Taking time to travel during your gap year helps you develop mentally, socially and intellectually. This is thus a great option for those who do not want to attend college immediately after high school.