usvi-on-line
Gap Year
Gap Year
I have been reading a lot about gap years. I don't regret much in my life, but I do think I would have liked a gap year. I started college when I was 16. When I graduated, I had to find a job RIGHT AWAY!! It never even occurred to me to take a year off to travel and/or work someplace else! I wish I would have thought of it though!! 
So, this topic is about gap years. Did you take one? Or, if you would like, talk about what your kids are doing for their gap years. Where did you travel? What did you learn? Do you have any pictures of that time that you want to share?
Tell me about your (or your kids) adventures.
So, this topic is about gap years. Did you take one? Or, if you would like, talk about what your kids are doing for their gap years. Where did you travel? What did you learn? Do you have any pictures of that time that you want to share?
Tell me about your (or your kids) adventures.
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.
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Xislandgirl
- Posts: 4163
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:03 pm
- Location: Slightly left of center
We just had this discussion with my family. My neice will graduate in May and will have so many student loans that she will have to get a job. My nephew is graduating HS next year and wants to take a year off before college and my brother and SIL say no way.
I have worked since I was 14, even through school, I guess you could call my gap year the 4 1/2 years I lived in STJ in my 30's, but that was still working.
Even so, the experience was life changing for me and helped me find the "true" me. (sappy, I know)
I think it is important for people to be able to take the time to transition from student to adult but the cost of education can be prohibitive. So many student loans to pay for so many.
I have worked since I was 14, even through school, I guess you could call my gap year the 4 1/2 years I lived in STJ in my 30's, but that was still working.
Even so, the experience was life changing for me and helped me find the "true" me. (sappy, I know)
I think it is important for people to be able to take the time to transition from student to adult but the cost of education can be prohibitive. So many student loans to pay for so many.
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sailorgirl
- Posts: 1644
- Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:03 pm
I never had the opportunity to take a gap year. I think its a good idea for alot of reasons. Some kids can use a little more maturation beofre starting college. I sometimes regret my single minded focus.
My older step daughter is in her junior year of college. She spent part of the summer in between 1st and 2nd year in Korea teaching English. She returned this summer on a fellowship and even became something of a D list Celebrity landing a gig on a very popular Korean TV show called Misuda. right ebfore she went back up to school we went out to dinner at a Korean resturant in our neighborhood and she was recognized by th waitress. It wa sfun, the owner came over and called his wife to bring the kids to the resturant so they could get a picture with her.
She's headed back in the Spring for a semester abroad and decided on an East Asian studies major and hopes to go into the foriegn service. None of this was even remotely on the radar when she started college. So the travel helped her solidify her future plans. She works very hard and we are quite proud. She is fortunate to be attending Yale on scholarship and has been given truly amazing opportunities.
My older step daughter is in her junior year of college. She spent part of the summer in between 1st and 2nd year in Korea teaching English. She returned this summer on a fellowship and even became something of a D list Celebrity landing a gig on a very popular Korean TV show called Misuda. right ebfore she went back up to school we went out to dinner at a Korean resturant in our neighborhood and she was recognized by th waitress. It wa sfun, the owner came over and called his wife to bring the kids to the resturant so they could get a picture with her.
She's headed back in the Spring for a semester abroad and decided on an East Asian studies major and hopes to go into the foriegn service. None of this was even remotely on the radar when she started college. So the travel helped her solidify her future plans. She works very hard and we are quite proud. She is fortunate to be attending Yale on scholarship and has been given truly amazing opportunities.
Darn! When I read the topic, I thought we were going to talk about clothes.
Actually, I tried to take a gap year and had a job lined up in Hawaii with friends to stay with. My parents let me go for a few weeks during the summer, but made me come home before school started. Like a good daughter (at least from what they knew
), I obeyed. I would have been much better off if I'd stayed and done a bit of growing up in the real world. It was a great summer while it lasted. Sigh!
Actually, I tried to take a gap year and had a job lined up in Hawaii with friends to stay with. My parents let me go for a few weeks during the summer, but made me come home before school started. Like a good daughter (at least from what they knew
), I obeyed. I would have been much better off if I'd stayed and done a bit of growing up in the real world. It was a great summer while it lasted. Sigh!When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Kentucky, because everything there happens 20 years after it happens anywhere else. – Mark Twain
I started mowing lawns when I was 12 I saved enough money from all my jobs in high school to pay for college and not have to work thought it would be fun not working I lasted till Nov. of my first year before I was bored and found a job I've been working ever since. Now I could go for early retirement.
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chicagoans
- Posts: 1586
- Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:51 pm
- Location: IL
I didn't take a gap year, but was lucky enough that my parents paid my college tuition so that I could take a low paying job as a life guard at a camp over the summers. Those were great summers and a good alternative for those who can't afford to take a whole year off.
A gap year anytime would be great (heck even a gap month) but I think I'd appreciate it more after working for several years.
A gap year anytime would be great (heck even a gap month) but I think I'd appreciate it more after working for several years.
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nothintolose
- Posts: 1960
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 10:36 pm
- Location: New Orleans, LA
I wish I would have taken a gap year between college and "the real world"...or at least a gap summer.
I would have loved to have spent a summer being a whitewater river guide on one of the rivers in the western North Carolina area. Back then, I didn't know about St. John, but had I known about it then, I probably would have loved to work at Maho Bay Campground.
Oh well, what can ya' do
I would have loved to have spent a summer being a whitewater river guide on one of the rivers in the western North Carolina area. Back then, I didn't know about St. John, but had I known about it then, I probably would have loved to work at Maho Bay Campground.
Oh well, what can ya' do
"Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die" - Dave Matthews Band
I took a nearly gap decade
My academic career was quite checkered - when I went to school I was a good student, but I tended not to go a lot. I was enrolled in the local CC after graduation - that lasted about 2 weeks. My next try at college was a couple of years later. I lasted a full semester. I finally went back for good 91 to 95 (yes I was a 30 year old senior - pretty funny being in college with a bunch of 20-21 year olds) - and upon graduation got married (literally days after!) and started working. So no - not a classic gap year in there, but in between I did travel a lot, saw some of the world, had some stupid jobs and played a lot of golf -
My academic career was quite checkered - when I went to school I was a good student, but I tended not to go a lot. I was enrolled in the local CC after graduation - that lasted about 2 weeks. My next try at college was a couple of years later. I lasted a full semester. I finally went back for good 91 to 95 (yes I was a 30 year old senior - pretty funny being in college with a bunch of 20-21 year olds) - and upon graduation got married (literally days after!) and started working. So no - not a classic gap year in there, but in between I did travel a lot, saw some of the world, had some stupid jobs and played a lot of golf -
Anthony for Virgin Islands On Line
This is actually a great topic for me. My daughter is senior in high school this year. She had already applied to colleges and knows what she wants to do. But, I could see her telling me she wants some time for herself. It's a double edge sword.
As a Mom, my job is to prepare my daughter for college, get her through it, and have her get a job that makes her happy and successful. So, to let her just take a year off and "find herself" is a big chance. What if she doesn't go back? She's already in the school mode so why not just finish it up?
As an individual, I would have loved to take a year off and "go find myself". But, I know that had I not gone right to college, I problably wouldn't have went back.
So, If my daughter comes to me and says "Mom, I want to take a gap between school", what do I do? Does the Mom in me say "heck no ~ you go to college"? Or do I say "go baby go"?
Honestly, I think I would try to pursuade her to continue her education and take a break after college if that is what she wanted. If she insisted that she wanted to wait for college, I would be disappointed. But on some level, I would also be proud.
XOXO
Bug
PS Liamsaunt - College at 16????
As a Mom, my job is to prepare my daughter for college, get her through it, and have her get a job that makes her happy and successful. So, to let her just take a year off and "find herself" is a big chance. What if she doesn't go back? She's already in the school mode so why not just finish it up?
As an individual, I would have loved to take a year off and "go find myself". But, I know that had I not gone right to college, I problably wouldn't have went back.
So, If my daughter comes to me and says "Mom, I want to take a gap between school", what do I do? Does the Mom in me say "heck no ~ you go to college"? Or do I say "go baby go"?
Honestly, I think I would try to pursuade her to continue her education and take a break after college if that is what she wanted. If she insisted that she wanted to wait for college, I would be disappointed. But on some level, I would also be proud.
XOXO
Bug
PS Liamsaunt - College at 16????
My father moved from Germany to the US in the early 50’s and I have many family members still in Germany. They sent their late teenage children to us for long periods of time. I remember always having someone living with us. It was assumed I would go over when I graduated from high school.
Dad’s idea was Germany for a year or two followed by the Army then “you are on your own kiddo” He came from the “at 18 you are an adult and on your own” school of parenting.
Mom’s idea was very different, she wanted me to go straight to school without passing go. She was terrified I would get sidetracked somewhere and not go to college. In her mind, nothing was more important than me getting a degree.
Because I ended up getting a nearly free ride at a super-expensive private college, I didn’t take the year or two in Germany. My mom was just so desperate for me to get into school that I felt at the time I couldn’t disappoint her.
Looking back, I wished I would have planned that part of my life differently. I still would have gone to the same school but would have planned ahead and taken a year after college.
I did do two gap-ish summers, one in school and one just running around.
Summer (School) #1 spent in a charming medieval university town. Classes ran Monday to Thursday so we had three days to travel. My roommate grew up in Europe and still had lots of parents of friends scattered all over. Between her side and my family, we had plenty to see and do. I seriously don’t know how I passed my courses.
After the term was over, we rented a car and drove around for several weeks.
The rental car issue was huge at the time. We (roommate and I) begged for rail passes as we had visions to traipsing about with other traveling students our age. The parents put the kibosh on that.
At the time, my German family connections got us a rental car for less money than rail passes. The dads liked the idea that we would be more likely to travel off the beat path, we would see more, stay away from the tourist areas (which they deemed at waste of time and money), etc.
The moms somehow thought it would be safer traveling outside the typical college age hostel system, meaning we would have less chance to fall in love with aimless, p_t smoking boys that could lead to our ruin.
Needless to say, on our own traveling by car we found even more fantastic fun than the mothers ever night-marred about! An experience of a lifetime!
Summer #2 was spent traveling with Dad and Mom to see the relatives. Worthwhile but there was much family friction. I remember daily arguments. I had just graduated from college. Dad was pissed that I wasn’t enlisting in the Army, that I had made no attempt to find a “real” job and seemed to not care about much of anything.
If I had the whole thing to do over, I would have taken my language studies more seriously, spent a year abroad in college, and spent a year or two after college working in Germany or Europe. Being young and living outside your comfort zone is a very valuable experience.
Dad’s idea was Germany for a year or two followed by the Army then “you are on your own kiddo” He came from the “at 18 you are an adult and on your own” school of parenting.
Mom’s idea was very different, she wanted me to go straight to school without passing go. She was terrified I would get sidetracked somewhere and not go to college. In her mind, nothing was more important than me getting a degree.
Because I ended up getting a nearly free ride at a super-expensive private college, I didn’t take the year or two in Germany. My mom was just so desperate for me to get into school that I felt at the time I couldn’t disappoint her.
Looking back, I wished I would have planned that part of my life differently. I still would have gone to the same school but would have planned ahead and taken a year after college.
I did do two gap-ish summers, one in school and one just running around.
Summer (School) #1 spent in a charming medieval university town. Classes ran Monday to Thursday so we had three days to travel. My roommate grew up in Europe and still had lots of parents of friends scattered all over. Between her side and my family, we had plenty to see and do. I seriously don’t know how I passed my courses.
After the term was over, we rented a car and drove around for several weeks.
The rental car issue was huge at the time. We (roommate and I) begged for rail passes as we had visions to traipsing about with other traveling students our age. The parents put the kibosh on that.
At the time, my German family connections got us a rental car for less money than rail passes. The dads liked the idea that we would be more likely to travel off the beat path, we would see more, stay away from the tourist areas (which they deemed at waste of time and money), etc.
The moms somehow thought it would be safer traveling outside the typical college age hostel system, meaning we would have less chance to fall in love with aimless, p_t smoking boys that could lead to our ruin.
Needless to say, on our own traveling by car we found even more fantastic fun than the mothers ever night-marred about! An experience of a lifetime!
Summer #2 was spent traveling with Dad and Mom to see the relatives. Worthwhile but there was much family friction. I remember daily arguments. I had just graduated from college. Dad was pissed that I wasn’t enlisting in the Army, that I had made no attempt to find a “real” job and seemed to not care about much of anything.
If I had the whole thing to do over, I would have taken my language studies more seriously, spent a year abroad in college, and spent a year or two after college working in Germany or Europe. Being young and living outside your comfort zone is a very valuable experience.
Gap years are for the affluent.
I've been employed since the age of 8 with paper routes, farm labor and then the big step up to cooking in restaurant kitchens at 16. I did have a 6 week employment gap starting 9/15/01, but I made more consulting than I would have on salary during that period. Other than that, my biggest gaps have been 2 week vacations on STJ and the BVIs. Gap years are for the affluent; I was hungry and living on $35 per week for beer and food once I moved from my parents house.
That being said, I have the means to prepay my kids' education and suggest a gap year to them. Their Mom is rather perturbed by the suggestion. My oldest is education-focused, so will likely end up at a good school and graduating in four years. My youngest, well, she thinks we should do a gap year now... a fine idea. I think Sweet Christine is ready to sell all of our assets and go somewhere warm, tropical and with no mosquitoes.
Cheers, RickG
I've been employed since the age of 8 with paper routes, farm labor and then the big step up to cooking in restaurant kitchens at 16. I did have a 6 week employment gap starting 9/15/01, but I made more consulting than I would have on salary during that period. Other than that, my biggest gaps have been 2 week vacations on STJ and the BVIs. Gap years are for the affluent; I was hungry and living on $35 per week for beer and food once I moved from my parents house.
That being said, I have the means to prepay my kids' education and suggest a gap year to them. Their Mom is rather perturbed by the suggestion. My oldest is education-focused, so will likely end up at a good school and graduating in four years. My youngest, well, she thinks we should do a gap year now... a fine idea. I think Sweet Christine is ready to sell all of our assets and go somewhere warm, tropical and with no mosquitoes.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes - Coral Bay - St. John, VI