How to make the most of a difficult situation
There is no better time than now to begin thinking about the value of a gap year
The past two academic years have been incredibly challenging for both students and teachers.
Most students are doing at least a portion of their studies online, while others have completely transitioned to online learning.
While teachers and administrators are trying their best to offer positive learning experiences, service delivery has been inconsistent, and many students are really struggling to adapt to the new learning format. Many are anxious and discouraged and wondering about their futures.
Students tell me almost daily that they are falling significantly behind in their studies — particularly in the maths and sciences.
As students fall behind, they begin to express more and more anxiety about the next steps in their education and really question whether they will be able to be successful in post-secondary education. Do they have the subject knowledge required? For a generation of students already experiencing incredibly high levels of anxiety and depression, this is yet another roadblock to overcome. There is no better time than now to begin thinking about the value of a gap year.
Gap years are almost always positive for students despite the concern many parents express. The evidence is clear that the older a student is, the more work and life experiences they have had, the more likely they are to thrive in postsecondary education, whatever they decide to pursue.
Planning a gap year most definitely does not mean sitting at home doing nothing.
Students need explicit goals and plans to make us of that privileged time in a meaningful way. Rather than refer to it as a gap year, perhaps we could think of it as a “year out of school with a very definite plan.”
With public health measures in place to curtail the spread of COVID-19, there will be fewer opportunities available to students as they plan their gap year, but that does not mean there aren’t many great opportunities still available.
Here are five opportunities that many students have pursued with great success:
1. Community Service/Volunteering: Find a purpose that you believe in and volunteer your time to contribute to success. The pandemic has reshaped our communities and the way we live our lives. There is no better time than now to offer your time to a meaningful cause when the need has rarely been greater.
2. Work Experience: Get a job and work. It doesn’t have to be a job that is directly related to post-secondary studies, but something that could provide money and insight into the working world. Many adventurous people combine work and travel together, particularly on the West Coast of Canada in vacation territories.
3. Travel Canada. Canada is a vast country with diverse communities and cultures. Travelling is a great teacher and Canada has a lot to offer. Use some of your time to explore your country and gain insight into how other people live/ work/play in different parts of Canada.
4. Skill Development: Identify one or two skills that you have wanted to learn or develop. Photoshop? Microsoft Excel? Woodworking? Sewing? Look to develop at least two new tangible skills that will be useful to you and motivate you to ever greater achievement.
5. Take summer or part-time courses. Due to online learning, many students feel underprepared for the rigors of college and university. Enrol in one course that either excites you or you feel you need to review and refresh your skills and expertise. Don’t forget that YouTube and many other platforms like Kahn Academy and Coursera offer amazing resources for brushing up your knowledge.
The rigours of post secondary life often require students to be mentally, but also physically fit.
To excel in your studies, you need to “feel” good as well. Dedicating time and energy to improving physical fitness, flexibility, posture, and core strength can go a long way to improving academic performance and how you feel about yourself. There is no better time than now to begin, and it is something you can work on during the pandemic.