I think there’s sometimes an assumption that taking a gap year makes the eventual move to university ‘easier’. However, I believe that it’s a transition that comes with challenges whatever your age and stage. Whether you are contemplating a gap year, or currently taking one and feeling apprehensive about what it might mean for when you actually get to uni, here are some home truths from a student whose journey to York was certainly not straightforward.
It can be complicated, and that’s okay
If, like me, your path to university has felt complicated – that’s ok!
I actually started at a different university at 18. Having struggled through a term, I realised it wasn’t the place for me. I walked away with seven empty months ahead of me, another university application to make, and the prospect of starting university again with all the anxieties of before. It wasn’t the route I’d have chosen to get to where I was meant to be, but in the end it was worth the pain.
My main takeaway from this experience would be not to worry if your gap year has felt different. Perhaps you felt forced into taking one, maybe, like me, you also had a false start at uni the first time round. Or perhaps your time off wasn’t all the fun that exists within the ‘gap year’ stereotype. However your time was spent, it really doesn’t matter. Ultimately, you will have learned from your own unique journey.
Take your time to decide
Having attended an open day the year before, I knew that York would be a better fit. I re-applied, got my place and immediately booked an offer holder day. This was the single most reassuring thing I did! Alongside other offer-holders, I heard in greater detail what I would be studying from staff and students from my department, and I looked around some more accommodation options. I also realised that the chance to spend three years with access to such a beautiful city was simply unmissable.
Sorting your admin early
Taking time out enabled me to navigate the process of accepting my offer and applying to my accommodation without having to balance revising for exams alongside. When September rolled around, I had no more ‘admin’ to stress about.
Building social self-confidence
No matter how you spend your gap year, that time will do wonders for your overall confidence and maturity. My time off was not particularly exciting, but having that space to grow and understand myself meant that when I arrived at York, I felt far more assured within myself. That confidence then translated into social confidence, which I had previously really lacked. You will find your people; they might be in your seminar, your flat, a society or a sports team, but that extra bit of time and space will help your confidence in seeking them out.
Getting back into studying
It’s easier said than done, but try not to overthink it. For me, having that break from my subject meant that by September, my brain couldn’t wait to get stuck in. I wasn’t burnt out from exams, I’d enjoyed my time away from writing essays and reading heavy tomes – but I was dying to get my teeth into something. You might feel a little rusty to begin with, but remember that everyone is adjusting to this strange new way of learning. It’s good to keep your brain active over your time off, and you might even find a love for something you hadn’t tried before, like writing or learning a language – I dabbled in both, as well as actually reading books or watching films I’d never got round to before.
Benefits of the Collegiate system
I was particularly worried that my strange gap year would leave me feeling both ‘behind’ my school friends, and out of the loop with those arriving with me straight from school. This is where the York collegiate system was so helpful. In my experience, my college – Vanbrugh – helped me before I even arrived; their communication was friendly and clear, and they put each flat in contact with one another so we could all introduce ourselves before moving in. It made the transition to uni after a gap year feel that little bit more manageable; a scaffolding that’s bigger than you, but not nearly as huge and daunting as the university as a whole, and helps you feel like you belong.
Through the STYM/STYC scheme – second and third year mentors or contacts – as well as the college committee, you have access to a supportive network of older students who have been there and done it, and are all there to make the change easier.
Good luck, and enjoy your path, whatever direction it takes!
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