Why You Should Take A Gap Year
Letting Yourself Say Yes: Taking a Gap Year Overseas
The idea of a gap year can be a little daunting. But agreeing to a gap year spent in China, – now that’s stepping out of your comfort zone. Still, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of college, then taking a gap year that still challenges you is probably the right move to make. 98% of students who take a gap year come back more capable of handling the difficult challenges college and professional life can throw at them. As such, it’s worth considering how programs like the ones offered through Hutong School might give you a step up in your professional future.
Learn Something New
You’ll want to go into your gap year with Hutong School with some goals in mind. Specifically: what do you want to learn in your year abroad? Preparing to take a gap year means opening yourself up to new opportunities that only cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Chengdu, all modern cities can provide. When you take a gap year with an organization like the Hutong School, you’ll be able to do more than learn a new language – though that’s a great skill to have while looking for a job. You’ll also be able to honea number of professional skills, like how to manage your time and listen more effectively.
Improve Your Health
Stepping out of your comfort zone with Hutong School also gives you the opportunity to grow into a healthier person. Move away from westernized fat diets and dietary supplements and explore the different ways you can eat, move, and feel better about yourself while exploring the cities you’re visiting. Take trips to the great outdoors, too. Hiking the Jinshanling segment of the Great Wall, for example, will do you as much good emotionally as it will physically – and where else in the world are you going to get an experience like that?
Seek Out Later Success
Finally, taking a gap year ensures that you set yourself up for success later in life. That self-reliance and focus you learned while planning your year away? It translates perfectly into the workplace because you’ve been shaken out of the environment you’re used to and shown that you can adapt. That willingness to try new things while interning in China? You’ll be more likely to think creatively and find unique solutions to problems that would stump other people.
Let yourself say yes to a gap year overseas. You will be able to better prepare yourself for the future while having fun and learning skills that can’t be taught in a classroom.
If you’re not yet convinced about what a gap year can actually do for you, read about the experience or story of our Hutong alumni. Check out this blog post to get a better idea of what a gap year with us looks like or find out the challenges you might face when coming to China.
Are you planning or considering to take a gap year? Start your gap year with us! You can learn Chinese or gain work experience and so much more, check out the possibilities we offer.
