Taking some time out from the stresses of everyday life to venture abroad for an extended break can be an incredibly fun experience at first.
However, as the months pass, finding ways to keep yourself entertained can become difficult and you might find yourself wasting your precious time.
It doesn’t have to be this way — here are five wonderful ways to enrich your gap year experience.
- Learn a language
Take some time to learn the native language of the country you’ll be staying in.
There are many benefits – it will make communicating with locals easier, and serve as an enjoyable challenge for you to tackle over the course of your break.
A language is a doorway into a culture — by learning, you’ll feel a closer connection to your new home and become more culturally aware. So download a fun language app like Duolingo and enjoy transforming into a more worldly traveller.
- Start a blog
You’ll be eager to share the amazing activities and locations you experience during your gap year with friends and family and starting a blog is an effective and efficient way to do this.
So take some time to write about your experiences while they’re still fresh in your mind and also include photos of the cool places you’ve visited.
A blog also serves as a permanent record of your travels to look back on in years to come and can even be monetized to fund further travels.
If you’re not sure where to start, take a look at this beginner’s guide from Blogging Basics 101.
- Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness involves improving your awareness by fine tuning your senses and paying greater attention to the present moment.
These techniques are useful in helping you to adjust to your new environment quickly and, with improved awareness of yourself and your surroundings, you’ll be a more active participant in your travel experiences.
- Study
For many people, a gap year serves as an escape from study.
However, there are many benefits of studying whilst abroad, such as learning in more comfortable and inspiring surroundings, which might help you produce your best work yet and enable you to return home as a more well-rounded individual with new passions and perspectives.
If you’d like to learn a new skill, an online degree from Anglia Ruskin Distance Learning is flexible and allows you to study when it suits, making it perfect for your gap year.
- Explore
This is obvious, but still worth mentioning – make sure you go wild and explore during your gap year.
You’ve chosen your destination for a reason so make the most of it — don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try new things, because you only live once.
Remember that your gap year is a once in a lifetime experience, so live your very best life during yours!
What other ways are there to enrich your gap year? Share your tips in the comments