Fund yourself. (Gap year experiences)

Member Name: Bryn Pearson

Product:	Gap year experiences
Date:	05/06/01 (284 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: avoid debt

Disadvantages: can disrupt your studies.

The costs of being a studen rise every year, as grants wither away into nothing and the fees are piled on. Getting into debt is frightening, and trying to live on no money can be dreadful. Working while you are studying can be a solution, but it eats into your coursework time and prevents you from taking out much time to relax.

Realising that I was not going to be able to afford three years at Uni (and this was before fees were introduced) I opted to take a year out to raise some funds as I didn't want to get into debt. I lived in a small town and did not drive, so work options were limited.

I spent the year working as a checkout girl in a Somerfield, which was not exciting, glamourous or well paid. It was tedious, and it really made me sure that I wanted to finish my education and find something better to do.

At the end of my gap year, I had several thousand pounds to my name. I continued to live with my parents and commuted to college. I lived frugally, but between my savings and the grants, I managed not to get into debt.

The year out really gave me a perspective and showed me what I didn't want to do with my life.

Anyone living in a decent sized town or owning a car could find far more luctrative employment than I did. Starting Uni with several thousand pounds to your name is a real advantage - it gives you some freedom from cares, it means you don't have to sponge quite so much off your parents - I contributed to the household financies while I was living with them.

I know its very tempting to plan that round the world trip or to set out to solve the ills of the world. It is a sad truth that these days, most students can no longer afford to take a year out just for fun. Taking a year out to work is a good option though, as it does take a lot of pressuer off you once you get to university.

I used a lot of time in my gap year to further my own studies, to read more widely, to write and t
o evelop other interests, so it certainly helped me to develop as a person.

The break from studying can set some people back and you have to know yourself well to be able to tell if you are likely to suffer or not. I can only suggest that you reflect on your experiences of summer holidays - how much did you forget by the time you had to go back in September?

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