Written by Martina Farrugia
The term ‘gap year’ evokes fear in parents with many thinking that this year will be spent slacking off and going out everyday. At the other end of the spectrum ‘gap year’ spells freedom for students. Gap years allow students to figure out what they are passionate about and what they want to do with their life.
Having to decide what job to go for as part of your career path is a big decision and one that should not be taken lightly. Therefore, spending a year testing the water is beneficial for students to discover which road to take after graduating. With the mantra of “school, exams, school, exams, job” being repeatedly preached by parents, there could be students who feel rushed into making a decision.
During my gap year, I got my first job. It felt odd working full-time as I was used to the student life with weekends off and Christmas and summer holidays to look forward to. But I got the hang of it. I started out as a customer service agent and while that was not my dream job, it helped me gain work experience. A few months down the line, a content writer position was available within the company. I applied, and got the job.
Working in that post helped me realise what I wanted to do in my life – write. I had found a career path I was passionate about. I was determined to go back to university to start my Communications degree to catch up on more skills and learn the ropes about the industry I hope to join after graduation.
Waving goodbye to my monthly full-time wage was not easy, but I had a clear goal that I wanted to achieve. I learnt new things about myself. What I’m good at, what I like, what I want. All-in-all it was a beneficial gap year. It allowed me to re-enter student life with a different outlook as I was confident and ready to start working towards my future dream.