{"id":18526,"date":"2016-07-14T14:30:22","date_gmt":"2016-07-14T14:30:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.tickettoridegroup.com\/?p=18526"},"modified":"2025-10-17T18:44:52","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T18:44:52","slug":"benefits-gap-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tickettoridegroup.com\/blog\/benefits-gap-year\/","title":{"rendered":"The benefits of taking a gap year"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our guide to what\u00a0benefits there are if you take a gap year!<\/h1>\n

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Don\u2019t be scared to take a Gap Year after getting your exam results, in between education institutions or even as a work break. Taking time out from life can benefit you\u00a0in many way. \u00a0We are part of the Ticket to Ride Group<\/a> one\u00a0of the\u00a0UK’s leading gap year providers and we stay in touch with lots of the people that we have helped \u201cdo a gap year\u201d, so we have seen the benefits that it can bring. 75% of people that have taken a gap year say that the time out helped them make the right decision when choosing their career and 88% said that a year our added to their employability.<\/p>\n

“A gap year is still one of the most worthwhile experiences you can have,” says Marcus Sherifi, travel editor at Gapyear.com. “<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Personal Development<\/h2>\n

Personal Development is a great buzz word at the moment and when you understand what means it easy to see how a year spent doing something amazing and worthwhile will really make a difference to you personally. Personal development is all about improving your self awareness and knowledge as well as\u00a0developing skills which contribute to building your confidence and identity. What better way to work on all of this than away from your normal life in beautiful places while taking part in experiences that many people will never get the opportunity to do.<\/p>\n

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Independence<\/h2>\n

One of the big things that happens as we grow up is our need for independence, some of us go and buy a car, some of us get a job, others will move out of home, or go to University. There are also a group of us that need to leave their comfort zone so badly that they go as far away as they can and experience something complacently different. In our work organising trips and courses around the world we have seen how pushing the boundaries and becoming independent has helped individuals develop and discover what being away from your family network is like. While being away from home always helps you to develop this it also teaches us that we don\u2019t need to be completely free from what we thought wanted to become independent from in the first place.<\/p>\n

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\u201cGenerally speaking I think if you talk to most academics they think that gap years used wisely \u2013 and the key is used wisely \u2013 are a very good thing.\u201d – Marcus Williams, Deputy Director of Student Recruitment University of Birmingham <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Relax, Unwind, Reflect<\/h2>\n

Everyone has different reason for taking a gap year and no matter what the reason one of the rewards is always that it provides time to get away from what you were doing and what you future might be. No matter how you use your gap year you will benefit from a mental break away from education or work. You will find that you have more space in your head to reflect and your mind will work through all the things that normal life restricts it from exploroing. Away from the commute, social media, work commitments, family time, formal learning and all the mundane bits of admin that comes with life, there is space to breath and find out more about who you are. Which is important as people who are comfortable with who they are have more confidence.<\/p>\n

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New skills<\/h2>\n

When people look at what you did during your gap year and we mean people who will take part in deciding your future, like University Admission Tutors and Employers, they will want to know if your gap year was a wise use of your time. The best evidence you have is the new skills you have acquired during your time out.The new skills that you acquire are probably the biggest benefit you will get from taking a gap year.<\/p>\n