The Letz Live team are all advocates for gap years and working holidays abroad, especially after experiencing one themselves. We asked past gappie Bella, who is from New Zealand and took her Gap Year in the UK for 10 Gap Year tips. Find out firsthand a few tricks of the trade before departing.
1. Don’t panic about not going to uni straight away
I applied to university before I left for my gap year. When I was deciding to go, the thought of going to university a year later, and without my cohort of friends, was pretty daunting. Surprisingly, it didn’t take me long to realise that university really doesn’t go anywhere. Your life at home really doesn’t change that much over the course of the year. I remember coming back and being surprised by how easy it was too slot back in. After deferring my studies and giving myself a break, I returned eager to start learning again. I then met a whole new group of friends as well as having the opportunity to meet mutual friends my school year group had made.
2. Everyone won’t forget about you
When I said goodbye at the airport I really didn’t know when I would see my family and friends again. Both my parents were convinced I was gone for good! This was quite a confronting feeling thinking about drifting away from relationships. I really shouldn’t have worried, the connection we have through social media and video chat means the ability to stay in contact and keep each other updated is so easy. You also give your family and friends a great reason to jump on a plane for a holiday / visit! Homesickness can be real but it is all completely worth it. The hardest part of the whole journey was actually getting on the plane!
3. You don’t need to eat a custard cream everyday
Or maybe you do? One thing they love in the UK is biscuits, the supply in the staff room cookie tin never seemed to deplete. Getting amongst the tea and biscuit traditions is a must for the cold days, but potentially not needed 3 times a day… actually, just eat the cookie!
4. Pack Light
Wow this was a key lesson I learned on my gap year. I am a chronic overpacker and the line everyone uses really is true, you need WAY less than you think. Lay out the clothes you think you need, get rid of half of them and then get rid of half of them again. Not wanting to pay for check in luggage while travelling Europe means everything needs to fit into carry on. This means for the summer a trusty pair of Birkenstocks, some shorts and togs are the uniform. Trying to get overweight carry on bags through airport security became a bit of a game and getting stung by a fine definitely made you the loser!
5. Citymapper is your best friend
As someone with an incredibly poor sense of direction, the app City Mapper was a lifesaver for helping get around and navigating public transport. This being said, sometimes allowing yourself to get lost in a foreign place is half the fun. You often find some of the best spots by not following a map!
6. Role with the punches
I found both in my work and while travelling, the ability to adapt and pivot when things changed unexpectedly is an amazing skill. As much as you can plan, there will always be a spanner that derails your plans. Everything becomes a bit easier when you learn to go with the flow, be resilient and take all the ups and downs as they come. This was maybe one of the most important things I learned on my gap year.
7. Your accent is the source of endless entertainment
As a kiwi living in the UK my accent was the butt of a lot of jokes, particularly with the kids! It’s a great conversation starter / ice breaker. I quickly learned to become very country proud of my accent and my home (despite the teasing when I ordered fish and chips!)
8. Make friends with the lunch ladies
I was placed at a day school and while we had lunches provided we cooked our own dinners (well not really)… Making friends with the lunch ladies was the best partnership we could have made. They constantly look after you with seconds, leftovers and treats!
9. Keep a diary
Some days it was hard and I was unmotivated to write anything. On these days I would end up with just a page worth summarising the week. But on other days I couldn’t get the words down fast enough. Keeping a diary of the good and the bad, the travel days and the working days was the best thing I did. It’s amazing having photos to jog memories but actually being able to read back over how you were feeling is a completely different experience.
10. Say Yes
The confidence to just say yes to things was a huge skill I learned on my gap year. The hardest part is getting yourself over there but once you’re there you owe it to yourself to make the most of it. Everyone said to me the year goes by so fast. I didn’t really believe it, but the truth is it goes so much quicker than you realise. There are opportunities everywhere, saying yes to as many as you can is the best way to get the most out of it and collect some great stories and memories.
If you do have any questions, need a little convincing to do a gap year, or just want to chat, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
To learn more about our programmes, view our Gap Year options.
