Uni teaches you some pretty nifty stuff, but GAP year offers quite a lot of knowledge to be gained that you won’t get from a fancy degree – and, no, they’re not all to do with picking fruit.

You can’t deny that uni is one of the choicest places for learning and developing new skills that can put you on the path towards a career. But, there are some things that uni just can’t teach you that you can learn from taking a GAP year instead.

As Thankful4Farmers launches its New GAP Year program, a GAP year means that you can not only gain real-life experience by diving into something new, but you’ll be making a meaningful and tangible difference, helping farmers in the midst of harvesting seasons, and that’s something uni definitely doesn’t give you the experience of.

Learn more about The New Gap Year Here

A New GAP Year doesn’t need to be a full year either. Whether you go for a week, a month, or the whole 365 days, the New GAP Year program has dozens of fantastic experiences on offer.

So, with the end of the school year rapidly approaching, and the pressure of deciding what you’re going to do with the rest of your life is at an all time high, instead of hopping straight into university, take a bit of the pressure off of yourself and dive into a GAP year instead. We bet you’ll learn a thing or two that uni just can’t teach you.

Check out The New GAP Year:

View this post on Instagram

Love Travel?

Get the latest Travel news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more

A post shared by NewGAPyear (@newgapyear)

1. You’ll learn to get out of your comfort zone.

Up until now, life has been pretty regulated, and likely you’ve spent a good amount of time not having to step out of your comfort zone much. But, outside of the comfort zone is where adventure lives.

A GAP year plops you into a completely new environment where you’re free to explore, meet new friends, and it is the perfect time to get a bit uncomfortable and seek new adventures, learn new things, and gain memories.

2. You’ll gain a sense of adventure, and a thirst for travel.

GAP years take you places – with many of the jobs being offered in regional towns around Australia, you’ll be in an entirely new environment, learning about new cultures and diving into adventure around every corner.

So long are the days of having the same structured routine of getting ready for school, catching public transport, and daydreaming at your desk – you’ll be living adventure right in your own backyard with new experiences lying around every corner.

3. You’ll become independent from your parents.

While having mum and dad pay for everything up until this point in life may have been quite easy peasy, there’s nothing quite like gaining a bit of independence from your parents and navigating your way through the real world where you are making your own choices.

With a GAP year in hand, you’ll be able to choose your path, learn about budgeting your money, and finally be able to do the things you’re craving with out getting into lecture after lecture from your parents about what they think is “best for you.”

Check out The New GAP Year:

4. You live through new experiences while learning how to work in a team environment.

A GAP year is where you will gain new skills that can point you towards a career path in the future. No, it’s not going to teach you how to become a doctor, lawyer, or even politician, but it will teach you crucial abilities that will help you in your journey to your dream career.

You’ll learn how to work with a team, how to navigate difficult decisions, how to approach matters with pragmatic thinking, how to be efficient with your time, and much, much more. While uni can teach you the book smarts, the real-life experiences of work is what gets you going places.

5. Lastly, you’ll learn a thing or two about yourself.

Up until this point, you’ve had around 18 years to get to know yourself. But, since a lot has been clouded by either parental influence, or mucked up with school in the way, GAP years give you a chance to really dive into yourself and learn new things.

With new friendships to be made, adventure to be discovered, and simply time out in the wide open spaces that regional Australia has to offer, you’ll learn new things about yourself that can help you become the best person you can be when you’re ready for uni.

Check out The New GAP Year!

Get unlimited access to the coverage that shapes our culture.
to Rolling Stone magazine
to Rolling Stone magazine