GAP IT RIGHT

Psychiatrist and Counsellor,Mumbai

Many people are forced to take gap years due to environmental or personal reasons. Marriage, financial constraints, exam preparation and shift in professions are some of the common reasons. Students who wish to study abroad sometimes have to drop a year in order to prepare, both financially and otherwise.

The incentive of immediate job and monetary gains is often the attraction for individuals to take a gap. Many students take a break after their 12th and work in BPOs to earn money and gain independence.

The need for such gap years has also increased due to substantial demands for self growth and discovery. The quick money and a chance to experiment with career choices are big attractions, but after working for sometime many youngsters do realise the importance of higher education and head back to college.

Taking a gap may be a good idea, but what you do with that break is very crucial. Planning a constructive gap can help to go a long way. The ideal thing to do is take up a job which can help you get a practical experience of what you intend to study further. For example, if you want to be a lawyer, try to work at a law firm and gain experience.

This will also help you to make a better career choice and prepare you for the real job. But if the time is not used well the person may end up dropping his/her education completely. Few questions to ask yourself are what you really want to do and where you want to do it. Don’t go ahead without effective planning. Prepare a proper list of priorities and effective strategies for your gap year.

The negative effect of a gap years sometimes leads a person to become a ‘drop out’. Some students feel that it is better to take up a small time job than to get back into the grind of exams and pressure. Many also feel that they have lost the opportunity of doing something better with their lives.

If this gap is not used well a person may go through frustration, anger, resentment and also a feeling of being a failure. Some people resort to negative coping strategies such as drinking, smoking or drug addiction. On the professional front one may end up loosing good opportunities at hand. Effective planning will help in warding off such circumstances.

The gap years have their own pros and cons. Some have benefited, while others have borne the brunt. With gap years students get the time to think of their preferences and pre-plan their next move. Gap years also allow a chance of change and re-do things that required attention.

It gives time for improving family ties, bringing passion back to life, learning self-enhancing techniques and work balance. So, if your risk is calculated and well-planned go ahead and experience the gap. But make this gap a personal or a professional leap.