Is your teen considering a gap year after matric?

Teens in matric have very big decisions ahead of them. The choices they make following matriculation inform a big part of their lives, especially their career choices. Some still do not know what to do, and some choose courses that were never part of their plans, while some do not have a plan at all.

We asked Kristen Lisa Strahlendorf, an educational psychologist, a few questions regarding taking a gap year after competing matric.

Is it advisable to take a gap year?

Some matriculants that are unsure of their vocation may choose to enter the workforce directly or indirectly. A gap year means taking time off through casual or varied work, leisure, or hobby activities. The gap year often allows time for reflecting and learning about potential interests which can help students make a more informed decision when picking their career and connect better with their selected field. Some students excel, while others may spiral into further confusion. Parents and teens will need to weigh up a gap year versus continuous studies.

Parents and their teens alike will need to internally reflect, as some gap years are the best years of your life while for some, it leads to wasted time. This needs to be discussed and not taken lightly.

What are the things that could encourage a matriculant to consider a gap year?

Teens often hear of gap years from close family friends, other pupils, or on social media. Peer pressure and living the “best life’” all position gap years as highly desirable things to do and experience.

ALSO READ: How to support a child that fails matric

The fear of starting a new chapter of your life makes pupils lean towards easier pathways, which do not involve formal studies and the desire to experience life as an adult.

They may also be uncertain in their vocational choice and are genuinely fatigued from schooling.

What are some of the pros and cons of taking a gap year?

Not everyone has the opportunity to continue studying. Some parents find the added cost of studies burdensome, promoting a gap year so that their teen can save up to study and become more independent.

For those students already in a gap year and still confused about what career path to follow, a career assessment can help guide your teen on their aptitude and calling in life. There are drawbacks to a gap year: your teen may lose momentum, veer down an endless road of gap years to avoid the next phase of life.

How can parents play a positive role in their child’s decision to take a gap year?

“It is important to note, that parents should not live vicariously through their children. Parents need to support and not bully their children’s choices and opinions,” suggests Strahlendorf.

ALSO READ: Your child’s failure calls for more support, not less

We are a constant work in progress – what you study or if you take a gap year does not necessarily determine your success in life or a career. Your success is determined by your ability to constantly learn, adapt, and live a happy and full life. 

If you become au pair during your gap year or travel, this doesn’t mean you cannot continue studying, and that this was time wasted. Your little epiphanies may happen along your journey, giving you a calling and purpose to start your own business or art studio. Your passions and natural aptitudes will always find a way to be expressed.

“We are all unique. Understanding our passion and our aptitude will forge one’s unique pathway,” says Strahlendorf.

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