Episode: 56

Episode Title: The Top 3 Worst Reasons to Take a Gap Year

A gap year can be a great option, but there could also be some pitfalls. Find out the top three worst reasons to take a gap year—coming up next. 

Ep 56 show:

You are now in The Perna Syndicate—welcome! Thanks to the pandemic, many college students are now taking a gap year. Gap years can offer tremendous advantages, but there may also be some pitfalls—especially for those who view it as 12 months free from all responsibility, work, and planning.

There are great reasons to take a gap year, but also some really bad ones. Here are 3 of them.  

Number 1, don’t take a gap year if you’re just trying to avoid stress. Yes, school can add demands to an already tough year—but you might just be creating more problems for yourself down the road. A stagnant year, where you simply do nothing, will set you back on your long-term career trajectory. 

The second bad reason to take a gap year is if you’re just waiting for things to improve. While it’s true the economy has plenty of ground to make up, there will never be an easy or perfect moment to pursue your dreams. There will always be challenges, always something disrupting life as we know it. Now is the time to grow—not tomorrow.

Finally, don’t take a gap year if you’re just planning to veg. Chilling on the couch is not how you should spend a year of your life. Instead, you should view your gap year as a jump start on the rest of your life. 

A true gap year is not a year “off” from personal and professional growth. Instead, it should give you a fresh competitive advantage in your education and career journey.

Tomorrow, we’ll talk about three ways to make the most of your gap year and keep moving forward on your career and life journey. We’ll see you then!