OUR MENTORSHIP TEAM
We are a group of students who have recently been in your shoes...We know first hand what kinds of questions you are working through and are here to help, so shoot! We promise to respond in 48 hours, FREE of charge. Browse through our profiles and request a specific mentor, or ask general questions to any of us!
FYI… THE ✪ SYMBOL NOTES 100% SELF-FUNDED GAP YEARS :)
✪ Jiyoung J | Stanford '21
WHAT I DID:
Worked at Bruegger's Bagels and tutored to save up for my travels
Worked at PEER, an education reform nonprofit in China
Farmed in the Sierra Nevada Mountains near Granada, Andalusia, Spain
Backpacked through Spain, France, Switzerland, and Italy
Worked in a kitchen and taught classes at Khora, a nonprofit that provides food, legal aid, clothing, and language classes to refugees in Athens, Greece
Created No Crap Gap
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Homesickness
Gaining my parents' support on the idea of taking a gap year
Figuring out what to do (hence this website!)
✪ Jonah C | IU ‘21
What I Did:
August-May: Worked at Valparaiso University
June-July: Tour of Western Europe
September: Habitat for Humanity in Austin, Texas through Global Village
October-May: Worked at Chipotle and went back to school for spring semester
July-August: West Coast road trip from Chicago
August-November: Took time off again to work as a delivery driver
December: Sea Turtle conservation project in Costa Rica through Oyster Worldwide
June: Study abroad to Iceland
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
The greatest challenge for me was affording my experiences. I technically took two gap years just because I had to slow down and make money for the next thing.
Jeffrey F. | UPenn ‘23
What I Did:
May-August: Began fundraising for my gap year and spent time with my family and friends September-May: Global Citizen Year Fellow in Ecuador - lived with a host family, took Spanish classes, worked at a therapy center for children with special needs, participated in an effort to preserve the folktales of the local indigenous group where I was living, traveled around Ecuador with friends June-August: Worked as a counselor at Twin Spring Farm Day Camp
What I Struggled With:
The greatest challenge that I faced during my gap year was finding the confidence to push myself outside of my comfort zone.
Sarah M. | Vassar College ‘20
What I Did:
August 2015-July 2016: Rotary Youth Exchange, my local Rotary Club sent me to a Rotary Club in Waterloo, Belgium where they provided me with host family and I attended a local school (and explored Europe!)
Most Memorable Moment
How to choose? I would say that my year was characterized by hours spent on the train with my friends, watching Belgium (or Italy, or Greece, or the Netherlands...) roll by.
Sasha L | Stanford '20
WHAT I DID:
May: Shadowed a neurosurgeon at Einstein College of Medicine
June-July: Family time
August: Worked on organic farm in California and took self-defense classes
September-November: Traveled through Europe working on farms (helpx) and as an au pair with a friend
December-January: Lived and traveled in New Zealand
January-March: Volunteered teaching English in a monastery (RCDP) and trekked in the Everest region of Nepal
March: Joined a leadership and environmental conservation expedition to Antarctica (2041)
April-May: Trekked and worked on farms in Argentinian Patagonia with a friend
May-September: Family time and building Gap Guides!
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Choosing to take a gap year
Trying not to plan each moment of the year ahead of time
✪ Will Y | Lehigh '24
What I Did:
June - July: Worked as a local plaster and drywall contractor's assistant to save for my travels
August - October: Stayed with relatives in Peru and attended high school, improving my Spanish, getting a better understanding of Peruvian culture, and seeing different parts of the country
November-December: Backpacked alone through Chile and Argentina
December: Stayed with family friends in Vienna and explored the city
January: Worked part-time in the restaurant of a ski hotel in the Austrian Alps in exchange for room and board, a season ski pass and rental, and some small wages
February: Traveled through Central Europe visiting family friends in different cities
March: Stayed with a host family in Odessa, Ukraine and taught conversational English
April - June: Studied Russian, learned about foraging, and wrote short stories at home (returned unexpectedly from Ukraine due to COVID-19)
July: WWOOFed on a farm in upstate NY and learned about permaculture
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Having my plans severely disrupted by unexpected catastrophes (the 2019-20 Chilean protests, the loss of my debit card and driver's license, the COVID-19 pandemic); dealing with loneliness and managing unstructured time
✪ Keathley B | Whitman ‘24
What I Did:
June--August: Planned my gap year and worked youth programs at a local climbing gym to finance the year. September--November: Worked with two nonprofits in Nepal (the Juniper Fund and the Himalayan Database) and trekked in the Himalayas. December: Spent the holidays with my family and worked programs/front desk at the climbing gym. Also made a quilt out of old climbing competition shirts.
January--February: Worked on an olive farm in southern Spain through Workaway.
March: Started a NOLS semester (Spring Semester in the Rockies), but only completed three weeks of the course before it was shut down due to COVID-19.
Rest of the year: Quarantining, baking, and editing the first draft of my fantasy novel.
What I Struggled With:
Homesickness was a big one for me. I found it got worse the more I dwelled on it, so forcing myself to go sightseeing or just walking through the city or mountains helped center me in the moment. Disease was the second greatest challenge I had to deal with.
Anna M. | Stanford ‘24
What I Did:
June: Worked at a day camp July: Road trip with friends to Zion, Bryce Canon, Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Parks and Lake Tahoe State Park
Early-August: Lived with a family in New York as a babysitter
Late-August: Traveled and trekked in Iceland with a friend
September-November: NOLS Semester in India, Backpacking, Rafting, and Homestay
December: Home with family and planning for next leg of my gap year
January-February: Lived, traveled, trekked, and WWOOFED on three different farms in New Zealand. Started at the top of the North Island and ended at the bottom of the South Island.
March: Lived in Alaska, where I did lots of backcountry skiing, took an avalanche safety training course, watched the Iditarod, and helped out at the Anchorage Parks & Recreation Department
April-June: Home due to COVID-19. Working remotely as an intern, phone-banking for a Democratic congressional candidate, and doing various art/cooking projects.
July-September: TBD
What I Struggled With:
My greatest challenge was deciding to take a gap year. Planning a year of my life on my own was daunting, especially since every other year of my life has mostly been planned for me by nature of the school system.
✪ Annie R | Stanford ‘24
What I Did:
June-August: worked at a restaurant and babysat to finance my year
September: au paired in the small town of Copertino in southern Italy
October-November: worked at a bed and breakfast near Bologna, Italy and traveled through all of Italy. Found bed and breakfast through workaway.
December-January: lived at home and worked at the local Seattle company Glassybaby
February: lived with my aunt and volunteered in her fourth grade classroom in Oregon
March: traveled in London and au paired in France, near Versailles. Planned to be here for two months and then work at a bed and breakfast in Normandy, unfortunately it was cut short due to covid and I had to return home after 3 weeks in France.
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
I felt a little bit of fomo when my high school friends were starting college. However, after a week this wore off- because I was on my own adventure and I was still excited for my own school which was still happening, just a little farther away.
Nicole B | UPenn ‘20
What I Did:
June: Graduated high school and planned the first half of my gap year
July: Helped build a playground at an elementary school in Bogo City, Philippines; went to Lollapalooza in Chicago August- September: Helped teach English and Mathematics at a primary school in Cape Town, South Africa
October-December: Volunteered in Kathmandu with Education and Health Nepal
December- January: Went home to celebrate the holidays with my family and friends and to plan the rest of my gap year
January-March: Volunteered at a daycare center in Quito, Ecuador; hiked the Quilotoa Loop
March-April: Helped teach English at education centers in Lima, Perú; traveled to the Amazon to explore May: Went home to spend time with family and plan my Europe road trip June: Road tripped through England, Germany, Italy, and France July: Returned to the Philippines to finish my gap year where I started – visiting old friends and family, and hanging out with the elementary school kids
Most Memorable Moment:
Seeing the enchanting, snow-capped Himalayan Mountains for the first time in my life.
Emma F. | UC Boulder ‘21
What I Did:
September-December 2016: Latin America Gap Semester with Thinking Beyond Borders September-October: Interned at an high school and lived with a host family in Ecuador. End of October: Spent a week in Peru and hiked Machu Picchu. November-December: Interned at an environmental NGO and lived with a host family in Bolivia. December: Spent a week in Washington D.C. and met with many organizations like the NRDC, World Bank, Peace Corps, OpenGovHub, etc. December-January: Returned home to spend time with family and to hike the Grand Canyon. January-June: Gap Semester with Amigos de las Americas January-June: Lived with a host family and interned at a school where I assistant taught English full time.
What I Struggled With:
The greatest challenge I faced was overcoming my introverted tendencies in order to integrate myself with my peers, host families, coworkers, and other community members. I learned to become comfortable being in uncomfortable situations and it offered me many opportunities to grow and explore, that I otherwise would not have experienced.
✪ Shane F. | Berkeley ‘21
What I Did:
Became a writing center tutor at a local community college to finance my year Took community college classes Joined a non-profit organization to help students with autism and disabilities Learned web development
✪ Ronen S | U Chicago '20
WHAT I DID:
May-August: Worked as busboy at pizza and Greek food restaurant
September-December: Did work for room and board in France, Italy, and Germany through workaway
January-February: Worked as delivery boy at same restaurant in New York
March-August: Thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, 2189 miles from Georgia to Maine
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Balancing other people's expectations for my year
Learning to work with my hands
✪ Sterling D | Stanford '21
WHAT I DID DURING MY GAP YEAR:
Intensive bicycle repair school
Spent a week in the woods without seeing a single human
Peer led a youth trail maintenance crew for the Northwest Youth Corps
Biked alone from Oregon to Arizona, camping on public lands of the West
Survived off of acorns, fish, and wild edible plants in the Cache Creek wilderness of California
Worked at an off-grid cattle ranch in Argentina washing dishes and learning Spanish
Worked on a farm in Chile through Workaway
Joined an Argentine family on their month-long horseback cattle drive from the Andes to the winter grazing grounds
Found a job in a village of Chilean artisans and learned to turn a fresh goatskin into slippers
Taught hammock-making to dozens of youth at a wilderness summer camp
Started making and selling sandals from repurposed tires and leather
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH MOST:
Language barrier
Paying for the whole thing
Finding places to camp or sleep for free
Dani B | Colorado College '24
WHAT I DID:
June - August: Worked as a counselor at my childhood Summer camp to save money
Late August: Roadtripped around Iceland with a friend from high school! Each day we would drive to a new place, find a random hike to do, and just explore the landscape
Mid-September - Early November: Volunteered as staff at a small hostel in Israel (Workaway)!
Early November: Stopped in Budapest for a few days and met up with a friend who was also on a gap year!
Mid-November - Mid-December: NOLS course in Patagonia! Sea kayaking and backpacking.
Mid-December - Early January: Home for Winter Break, spent time with family and high school friends.
Early January - Mid March: Roadtripped around New Zealand with a small group of other gap year friends. We had little to no plans but ultimately did some farming and volunteering (WWOOF & Workaway), a few overnight hiking trips, and days hikes. I ended my time there with a 4-day solo backpacking trip!
Mid-March - June: Quaratining with my family in Upstate, NY. I found a local farm to volunteer on 2x/week and an organic farm store to work at 2x/week.
July - August : Family time and preparing for college, and daydreaming about the gap year I will most definitely take once I graduate :)
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
I've always struggled with change and the unknown. Arriving in new places and not knowing anyone, feeling very disoriented and disconnected, was always hard for me and I often felt like I wouldn't be able to make myself happy wherever I was. However, each time I eventually settled, and after a year of going from place to place, I do feel like I've gained skills to adjust to change better.
Anna G | Stanford '21
WHAT I DID:
Backpacked/hitchhiked around Eastern Europe
Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Austria, Ukraine, Moldova, Poland and Germany
Worked on an organic farm in rural Romania
Worked at a hostel in Skopje, Macedonia
Worked for the Alabama State Legislature
Waitressed at a restaurant at a ski resort in Colorado (Copper Mountain)
Waitressed at a sushi restaurant in Alabama
Backpacked around Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru
Worked at a surf hostel on the coast in Ecuador
Wrote a lot of poetry and read a ton of books
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Having to provide all of my own money
Figuring out what to do
Finding a job
✪ Jack G| Stanford '20
WHAT I DID:
July-August: Interned for Facebook, developed content for inspirED website
September: chilled
October-December: Interned for Brooklyn Nets, worked for the equipment manager
November: traveled around Vietnam, visited former VietCong and talked to Vietnam war veterans
January-July: teaching at Maru-a-Pula school in Gaborone, Botswana
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Planning out the year ahead of time
Spending time alone and building a community
✪ Leah L | Stanford '20
WHAT I DID:
Year 1: Aardvark Israel Immersion Program
August-December: Lived in Jerusalem and volunteered with Israeli soldiers while learning Hebrew and politics. Traveled Israel with my program and also traveled to China
January-May: Lived in Tel Aviv and volunteered in a jewelry shop while learning Hebrew and psychology. Traveled Israel with my program and also traveled to Ethiopia, Germany, and Holland
Year 2: My solo journey
June-December: Came home from Israel and worked a couple jobs to save up money for a solo trip to South America. Also did a personal fitness training course and applied to college
January-April: Backpacked in Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia
May-August: Came home and worked as a nanny and fitness trainer before starting college
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Applying to college while abroad
Minh Anh D | Stanford '20
WHAT I DID:
July-August: improv training at the iO Theater in Chicago
September-December: theater training at the National Theater Institute in Connecticut
January-May: acting, dog walking, writing in NYC (Bed-Stuy specifically)
June-August: working as the Assistant Technical Director at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Coping with unstructured time after the extreme structure of the NTI program
✪ Katerina P | Vassar '20
WHAT I DID:
September-November: Travelled and did work/stays in Greece, Italy, Switzerland, France
November-April: Worked at a local organic bakery, as a babysitter, and choreographing at my old high school
April-May: Traveled in to Prague, Athens, and New York to explore and visit family/friends
May-June: Worked reduced hours at the bakery and relaxed at home
July-August: Travelled through Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Balancing my desires for the year with those of my parents
Paying for the year
Maddy B |St. Andrews '18
WHAT I DID:
August-October: Córdoba, Argentina - Volunteered Projects Abroad Human Rights office
October-December: Worked in retail at home in Washington DC
January-March: Travelled around Israel and surrounding places (10 day Birthright trip, then independently backpacked around Tel Aviv, Haifa, the Galilee (3 weeks spent WWOOFing on a goat farm), Negev Desert (hiked in the desert and travelled to Jordan), West Bank
March-April: Studied French at L'Institut de Touraine in Tours, France May: Interrailed around Europe with 2 friends for 14 days
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Adapting to the flexibility needed for travel
Nathan W | Johns Hopkins '20
WHAT I DID:
August-October: NOLS Wilderness Medicine Rescue semester
October-March: Worked as a wrestling coach at my old highschool and volunteered at rockmed, offering emergency medical care at rock concerts
March-June: Worked at the Kieve Wavus Education Leadership School, providing outdoor leadership clinics to local schools
MEMORABLE MOMENT:
On one of my days off from the Kieve Wavus, my coworkers and I did a whitewater canoe race. It was awesome to bond with the adults I really respected and be a part of such a stunningly beautiful environment.
Emily M | Stanford '20
August: I planned!
September: I traveled to Japan, first with my family and then I met up with a friend from high school. We traveled around central Japan using the incredible train lines they have there.
October: Volunteered in Vietnam with IVHQ. We taught free English classes for a few weeks and volunteered at a food bank that served over 500 meals a day.
November: Traveled up the coast of Vietnam
December: Home
January: Worked at a blueberry farm with a friend found through WWOOF.
February: Travelled around the North Island and WWOOFed for a large group of German ex-pats on an idyllic farm near a bay.
March: After leaving Diamond Harbour, we used Stray buses to travel around the South Island.
March: Traveled to Australia where we got SCUBA certified on the Great Barrier Reef
April-June: Worked at home
July: I traveled to South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe with my family.
August: Backpacking and working
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Not having a schedule
Ryder K | Stanford '19
WHAT I DID:
October-December: Oxford Tutorial College
January-March: Southeast Asia with Pacific Discovery
April: Travelled through Cuba
May-August: Worked various jobs
BIGGEST REALIZATION:
I had a creative writing professor at Oxford who I would meet individually a few times a week. It sounds funny to say, but he honestly helped teach me to think. We would read and analyze literature and politics constantly and in doing so, he broke every high school guideline in the most creative of ways.
Ayesha P | Stanford '21
WHAT I DID:
June-August: On vacation with family in Japan
September-December: working full time in retail at home (M&S (men's formal wear))
January-April: worked for public health NGO (Public Health Foundation of India) in India and traveled; also traveled through Egypt for 2 weeks
May: Traveled around the U.K. visiting high school friends in college
June-August: working part time and finishing up off-site research for Public Health Foundation of India
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Loneliness (all of my friends being in college, and being in a different phase of life from me)
Not having a tight group of people who are around my age
Andrew B | Santa Clara '20
WHAT I DID:
August-November: NOLS semester in the Rockies; Canoeing, Rock Climbing, Hiking, Canyoning
January-February: Spanish program in Cusco. Maximo Nivel
March: Antarctic Trip with the 2041 Foundation (Sasha L also did this; check out her experience here!)
April-May: traveled through Argentina
May: News Foundation Internship through the GroundTruths Foundation
June: EMT Course with SOLO Schools
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Being open and social with strangers
Maggie P | Kenyon '20
WHAT I DID:
June-August: Counselor at summer Camp
September-December: Cultural exchange in India with Where There Be Dragons.
December-January: Skied in Jackson Hole, WY
January-March: Participated in the Island School/Cape Eleuthera Institute gap year program
March-June: Interned with a small theater company in NYC on the World Premier of Cal in Camo, nannied
June-August: Camp counselor
WHAT I STRUGGLE WITH:
Figuring out what to do halfway through the year
Not being surrounded by my peer group for the first time
Mica B | Carleton '20
WHAT I DID:
June-August: made money working at the general store on Martha's Vineyard
September-November: Interned on a farm in upstate New York through WWOOF
December-January: worked as a secretary at my dad's job to make extra money.
January-February: research and conservation for lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos, and buffalo in South Africa through African Impact
March: care and rehabilitation of chimpanzees in a sanctuary in Zambia through African Impact
April: Traveled through South Africa, Amsterdam and Paris
WHAT I STURGGLED WITH:
Being lonely
George S | Lewis and Clark '18
WHAT I DID:
August-November: Ecuador to Rockies Semester with Outward Bound which included backpacking, rock climbing, canyoneering, and mountaineering skills
February-March: Intercultura Language School, lived in a homestay
April-May: Internship with the Tamarindo Foundation, Guarjila, El Salvador
MEMORABLE MOMENT:
It was mango season in El Salvador, and I was hiking with a group of little kids to the Poza Azul, a refreshing pool of water in the foothills. There were lots of mangos that had fallen to the ground and so we had an epic rotten mango war
Nan M | Stanford '20
WHAT I DID:
September-December: Ballymore Cookery School 12-week intensive course
December-January: Hung out at home
January-May: ISA Spring 4 Semester in Spain at the University of Salamanca
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Accepting that not everything goes according to plan
Deciding to take a gap year while worrying about being a year behind all my friends
Caila M | Georgetown '21
WHAT I DID:
Received National Security Language Initiative for Youth scholarship to study Arabic in Morocco
Studied Arabic in intensive classes every day
Worked as an intern at the Amal Center, a non-profit helping empower disadvantaged women through culinary skills
Learned how to play the oud and the drum and write Arabic calligraphy
Traveled around the Morocco (including backpacking in the Atlas Mountains)
Taught English classes (& got TEFL certified)
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
packing
reverse culture shock (returning to life in the U.S.)
Manoela S | Columbia '20
WHAT I DID:
September-December: Myanmar trip with Where There be Dragons
December: Rio de Janeiro with family
January-February: Amazon 5 day boat trip with Katerre, Amazon tree climbing for 3 days, Brasilia with family, Carnival in Rio de Janeiro
March: one month backpacking in Peru with a friend
April: online plant-based cooking and nutrition course through Matthew Kenney
May: Jivamukti Yoga teacher training course at Omega Institute
Summer: Worked for the IRC and at a local gymnastics studio
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
My biggest anxiety was picking between all the options. The best thing I did (backpacking in Peru) was not an initial option and only planned a few weeks in advance. Be open to the unexpected and don't flip out if you haven't planned every month - things will come your way.
Jessica G| Wellesley '21
WHAT I DID:
Worked to save for my road trip at local businesses
Interned temporarily at an office for an orphanage in Tanzania, Africa (from my home)
45-day road trip to 46 states across the United States with my best friend
Worked as an assistant to a local entrepreneur and yoga teacher
Traveled to Costa Rica for 2 weeks and led a health & wellness retreat with that teacher
Traveled to Nicaragua for 1 week and led a health & wellness retreat with that teacher
Worked again at home
Went to California and traveled the West coast camping
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
I struggled with planning the trip, saving money to budget, networking to find internships and work experience, and the shock of being in a third world country
✪ Caroline C | Carleton '20
WHAT I DID:
June- August: Worked at a summer camp to finance my year
September- October: WWOOFed (worked on organic farms) in Oregon and Virginia
October-December: Worked at an art fair in Paris and traveled around European cities with a friend
January- February: Interned at a ceramics studio in NYC
March-May: Traveled through Chile and Argentina, trekking and working on farms
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Expanding my definitions of “productive” and “valuable” to include time spent thinking, conversing and observing - rather than simply time spent working towards concrete achievements or goals
Dan B | Cornell '12 | Stanford PhD
WHAT I DID:
Year 1
Research Assistant at Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin
Climbing in Sarco, Italy
Traveling and climbing in Vietnam
Year 2
Car camping and climbing across America
Living in Las Vegas and applying to grad schools
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Language barrier in Germany
Juggling grad school apps and completing a paper for publication while on the road
Amanda C | Grand Canyon University '21
WHAT I DID:
June-August: Camp counselor at Wavus Camp for Girls
September-March: Communications intern at American University of Armenia in Yerevan, Armenia and traveling through Europe
March-May: experiential educator intern at The Leadership School in Jefferson, Maine
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Being away from my family and friends. When things weren't going right, I didn't really have anyone to go to.
Marit B | Williams '18
WHAT I DID:
August-November: Projects Abroad Argentina, human rights volunteering
November-January: Paid internship at home at an international development firm
January-March: Projects Abroad Senegal, microfinance volunteering
April: Studied French in Tours, France, at L'Institut de Touraine L'institut de Touraine
May: Eurotrip for two weeks with two close friends who had traveled with me for parts of the gap year
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
I was 17 for half my gap year, which was a really difficult. I couldn’t do a lot programs I wanted to until I turned 18, and needed a parental signature for lots of stuff.
Zoe Z | Technion University
WHAT I DID:
September-October: WWOOFing in South Wales
October-December: WWOOFing in Central France
December-February: Kibbutz in southern Israel. Stayed as an ecotourist at Kibbutz Lotan, which has a center for creative ecology that does theoretical and practical workshops about sustainable living
February-March: moved to organic farm in central Israel
March-April: flew back to France, worked on fruit tree nursery through WWOOF. Living arrangements were very basic but sufficient. Lived with a couple and their 4 young children. Learned about fruit trees and how to do grafting. April-May: stayed at a permaculture commune in northern Israel
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Towards the end, I was very anxious about what it would be like returning home. No one understands your experience, even if you talked to them throughout it, because they weren't there. For everyone else, you're just plopping back into their life, but the issue is that while you're away, roles shift to make up for the hole that you left behind.
Maytal A | University of Colorado Boulder ‘22
June-July: Worked at a summer camp
August-February: lived and worked on a sustainable off the grid permaculture farm in Israel through Eco-Israel program
December-February: backpacked through Amsterdam, Paris, and Brussels
February-May: Traveled in Eastern Africa with Carpe Diem Education
June-August: Worked at a summer camp
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Totally detaching from life at home while on the program in Africa. There was very little internet, and it was difficult to feel totally removed from what was happening on a global scale, although I wanted to be fully present.
✪ Kat S | Wellesley ‘22
What I Did:
June - September: Traveled with friends and family, worked on a non-profit I co-founded with my friends (Save the Blue), and babysat to save money
October - December: Traveled through Europe and Morocco
January - March: Interned at the Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research at the Stanford University medical school. I also built a website, Wonder Women (www.wndrwmn.com), which launched on International Women’s Day.
April - June: Explored California in the family minivan
June - August: Moved to New York City and explored!
August: Went to Iceland
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
The hardest part was not being in my first year of college while my friends were. I didn't interact with a lot of people my age during my gap year, which made it feel a little lonely at times. I got over all those feelings by November, which was great, and took me realizing that I would rather be picnicking beneath the Eiffel Tower than taking midterms and that I would get to do all those things too!
✪ Natassia W | Stanford '20
WHAT I DID:
June-September: spent the summer with my family out in Quogue, Long Island, working as a sailing instructor
September-June: moved to Hamburg, found an apartment with a bunch of other students, worked in a cafe and a bar, joined a regional league volleyball team, and took one history class at the University of Hamburg and worked as a research assistant to an english professor.
July: quit my jobs and did an Interrail trip through Croatia, Italy and the South of France with my best friend Anouk
August: Returned to Hamburg, made sure to see everyone, went to a 5 day music festival (Dockville), and dealt with bureaucratic nonsense (terminating health care and residency, recollecting taxes) and moving out.
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
I worked in a cafe, and in a bar/restaurant that had just opened. The newly opened restaurant was poorly run and understaffed, and we didn't receive the tips we were expecting (someone higher up was pocketing them). I was working 7am shifts 3x a week, working really hard, and I felt like I wasn't be appreciated, rather was being blamed for structural problems (shortage in staff, in supplies/produce). It took my too long to realize this because I liked the people I was working with. But when I finally quit the friends I had made stuck anyways. My experience there let me demand a part time salary and more hours from the cafe I had started in.
Maryam J | Bryn Mawr '19
WHAT I DID:
August-October: Work as an assistant to an innkeeper at an Inn in Vermont to make money before travels / explored Brattleboro
October-December: Studied Arabic Calligraphy in DC and sat in on classes at George Mason University / explored Washington, DC.
January- February: Worked as an intern at CB1 gallery in LA for an exhibition on Sacred Geometry / explored LA
March-April: Interned at Soumaiya College at the School for Experiential Learning in Mumbai / explored Mumbai
April-July: Studied Oud and Persian Calligraphy in Iran
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Learning to go with the flow about what I would be doing - I didn't know where I was going to be and what I was doing until about a month before each place.
✪ Azra H | MIT '13
WHAT I DID:
June-November: Worked as waiter in Italian restaurant in Boston and audited physics classes at MIT
December-August: Worked at a biophysics lab at Brigham and Women’s Hospital
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH
Living independently
Getting along with coworkers in the restaurant
Spending a long period of time in a city far from home
Maya B | Wesleyan '20
WHAT I DID:
September-November: lived on a kibbutz in the Negev
December: worked on a mango orchard near the Kinneret
January-March: lived in Rishon lezion and taught English in schools and afterschool programs in Jaffa
March: learned about the Holocaust in Poland (visiting concentration camps etc)
April-May: back in Israel teaching English
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Trying to tell kids not to be racist/sexist in a language I barely know
Living a socialist lifestyle in a house with 20 people
✪ Netta W | Stanford ‘20
WHAT I DID:
June-August: Worked at a high school entrepreneurship summer camp
August-December: Worked at at start-up in Palo Alto
January-February: Stayed at home
February-June: Traveling and volunteering with refugees in SE Asia, Western Europe, Peru
June-September: Working with a film team
WHAT I LEARNED:
Traveling as a female is not as scary as you imagine, there's lots you can do to keep yourself safe. I learned how to make decisions for myself and my own values as opposed to doing it for other people or institutions.
✪ Elise G | Stanford ‘19
June-August: Worked at United Way of SE Louisiana
September-December: NOLS Semester in the Rockies
December-January: Home
February-April: Road trip across US
May-September: Worked at a restaurant
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Ditching long-standing plans for a thru hike of the AT in the face of a particularly harsh winter was nerve-wracking; I ended up taking off by car for an adventure across the U.S. without much of a plan, which was freeing but brought its own challenges.
Aeshna C | Columbia '21
WHAT I DID:
Backpacked around India for 7.5 weeks with a high school friend (& became an expert at planning out trips)
Visited friend in Korea and toured around Seoul for five days
Traveled around Tokyo, Kyoto, and Okinawa in Japan for two weeks
Worked at CISCRP (Center for Information and Research on Clinical Research Participation) in Boston
Learned how to knit and attended weekly baking classes in Boston
Backpacked through Europe for four weeks with a high school friend
Worked for Khora, a community center for refugees in Athens, Greece for three weeks
✪ Sarah N | George Washington U '20
WHAT I DID:
June-August: worked as a sailing instructor at a camp in Rhode Island
September-December: worked assorted jobs to save money (field hockey coach, sales associate, dog-walker, babysitter, you name it!)
January-March: Gap Year Program at the Cape Eleuthera Institute in the Bahamas
April: traveled and worked around the Big Island of Hawaii and worked at a bed and breakfast in Kona through Workaway
MEMORABLE MOMENT:
Getting slapped in the face by a sea turtle flipper!
Nina R | U Washington, St. Louis '22
WHAT I DID:
September - December: Went on Where There Be Dragons semester program in Nepal
December: Travelled around India mostly as a tourist, but did a week long Ayurveda treatment at Somatheeram in Kerala, India.
January-March: Worked at a ski mountain in Vermont to help finance my year
March: Volunteered at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas
April - May: Used the website Workaway to find a volunteer position as a bartender in a hostel in Peru. Also travelled around Peru alone for a while.
June-July: NOLS sailing and mountaineering course in Pacific Northwest
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Plans falling through at the last minute. However, this actually ended up being a blessing in disguise because it allowed me to be a bit more spontaneous with my plans.
Kat M | Stanford '20
WHAT I DID:
June-August: Road trip in Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Colorado, Idaho
October: Climbing in Greece
November-February: Editorial internship at Trail Runner Magazine in Colorado
March-June: National Outdoor Leadership School Semester on the Borders
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
I was anxious about not knowing anyone because being young but not in high school is a rare position and it can be hard to find similar people.
Tom S | Lewis and Clark '20
WHAT I DID:
September-November: Traveled though Australia where I scuba dived in the great barrier reef, surfed the gold coast, and hiked around Tasmania.
November-December: Hiked and hitchhiked around the south island of New Zealand, meeting up with old friends and making new ones
December-April: Kayaked with Patagonia Study Abroad and did a work exchange program for Pucon Kayak Hostel.
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
My biggest anxiety was around meeting people, but everyone traveling in hostels or camping was very friendly and willing to branch out. I went on countless adventures with friends I had met only hours before.
George M | Dartmouth ‘22
WHAT I DID:
June-August: Worked construction part time and took a writing class at Fordham while living at home
September-December: NOLS in New Zealand, Mountaineering and Sea Kayaking
December-April: Worked as a snowboard instructor at Beaver Creek
April: Road Trip to California through national parks
May-July: Traveled through France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Czech Republic
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
The biggest skill that I learned from my gap year came from the biggest challenge I had which is that I was pretty lonely a lot of times. But I learned to be content on my own.
Chris F | Stanford ‘14
June-September: Worked in Alaska for a tourism company and a car rental company to finance my year. October-February: Lived with relatives in Ithaca, NY. Worked at a college bookstore, volunteered at local non-profits, and studied independently.
March: Assisted my mother in Alaska as she prepared to compete in the Iditarod Dogsled Race.
April-August: Studied and traveled in Uruguay and Argentina.
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
I had trouble prioritizing my many different interests. Then, a family friend suggested narrowing my focus to the top 2-3 areas of interest. it seems obvious now as an adult, but that was a helpful reminder for a 17-year-old.
✪ Kate N | Carleton '20
WHAT I DID:
August-January: Traveled throughout the UK and mainland Europe, utilizing Workaway as a means of finding accommodation with a variety of host farms and families
January-March: Came back home to work several jobs and raise up enough money to get out into the world again
April-May: Worked on a coffee farm/animal sanctuary in Kona, Hawaii, found through Workaway.
June: Went on a month-long backpacking and rafting trip in Southern Utah with Outward Bound.
July-August: Returned home and worked on an organic farm/kids' day camp just outside of Portland.
WHAT I STRUGGLED WITH:
Balancing independence with community