Off to College? Try a Gap Year!
Question from Broadside Staff to Emily Muller, class of 2012:
What were the steps in your thinking, imagining & dreaming that allowed you to postpone going to college like most of your classmates? Why did taking a gap year seem like a better idea than becoming a freshman two months after graduating from Hanover High?
EM: Why a gap year? The answer to this question is different for everyone, but for me I had one specific goal; to significantly improve my Spanish. I have always loved to travel so logically the two went well together to form a productive year. I spent a lot of time researching what I could possibly do with 9 months. Being 18 and only having a high school diploma means very little working internationally, so that was ruled out. Then I came across the program Where There Be Dragons. It had everything I was looking for; intensive Spanish, culture study, trekking through the Andes, and lots of other opportunities that simply aren’t possible on your own. I went to Bolivia and Peru for the entire fall and absolutely loved it. I would highly recommend Where There Be Dragons to pretty much anyone.
My 2nd trip was back to Peru for an internship with a development organization. That did not turn out as expected and I had to spend a lot of time working with the organization to work things out. But in the end I still learned a lot and am glad I did it. I am currently in Sevilla, Spain at a Spanish school for a month and then going through Europe for the rest of the spring. The school is called the Giralda Center. Even though I have only been here a few days, this school is very well run and I would recommend it to anyone interested in learning Spanish.
Overall I would recommend a gap year to anyone who feels burnt out from school. This way you have time to regroup and go into college ready to do all the necessary work. Also to anyone who loves to travel. It’s the perfect time when you have no responsibilities, no where to be at any set time, and no career to worry about.
Note: The HHS Guidance Office has information (including links) about a wide variety of programs, domestic and international. Some are expensive; some are very affordable. Don’t miss the HHS Gap Year Fair on Tuesday, March 12.
