{"id":9657,"date":"2021-10-01T22:39:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-01T17:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.univariety.com\/blog\/?p=9657"},"modified":"2021-10-01T22:39:00","modified_gmt":"2021-10-01T17:09:00","slug":"the-value-of-taking-a-gap-year-before-college-what-to-do-after-12th","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.univariety.com\/blog\/the-value-of-taking-a-gap-year-before-college-what-to-do-after-12th\/","title":{"rendered":"The Value of Taking a Gap Year Before College: What to Do After 12th"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are you wondering what to do after 12th? Good\u2026you are not alone. 1,000,000 students are wondering the same alongside you. That number looks ridiculous, doesn&#8217;t it? But that is the number of students who appear for the 12<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">th<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-grade exam in India every year!\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And sure, most of them (including you) have some sort of plan \u2013 obviously involving appearing for <a title=\"Entrance Exams After 12th\" href=\"https:\/\/www.univariety.com\/blog\/entrance-exams-after-12th-you-should-not-miss\/\">entrance exams<\/a> and going off to college. But\u2026here\u2019s the deal. I need you to bear with me for a few minutes because I\u2019ll be tackling something challenging and controversial today \u2013 Taking a gap year after 12th before you enter the illustrious world that is college.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At this point, you might be having one of two reactions:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Minimize the tab so that your parents can\u2019t see your screen, or<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thinking\u2026.what? I can\u2019t do that! I have entrance exams\u2026. A gap year will be such a waste of my time.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The idea of taking a voluntary gap year between the transition period from school to college life is not something that we Indians are very familiar with. And from gap year I do not mean taking a year off to prepare for some entrance exam that you couldn&#8217;t qualify in the first attempt.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What I mean by gap year is taking a brief pause \u2013 before you go rushing into the \u2018cradle to college to cubicle to cemetery cycle\u2019. It\u2019s about taking some time to re-evaluate your life and decide what to do after 12th. It is about getting new experiences, learning some off-beat skills, adding some <a title=\"Extracurricular Activities to Boost Your Profile\" href=\"https:\/\/www.univariety.com\/blog\/co-curricular-activities-for-an-impressive-college-application\/\">extracurricular activities<\/a> to your profile, or just taking a break for a second!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The idea sounds appealing, doesn&#8217;t it? Yet\u2026there are these creeping doubts. What if I lose valuable time\u2026time that I can never get back? What if I forget my lessons and can&#8217;t get into college later? What will I gain out of this time anyway? What will my parents say?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But put those thoughts aside for a few minutes. It will all make sense by end of this blog.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What to Do After 12<\/b><b>th<\/b><b>? A Gap Year Isn\u2019t That Ridiculous an Idea<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><b>It is a Time to Learn New Things, Gain New Experiences<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First of all, get rid of that thought that a gap year before college is a waste of time. It is not! While you may not be part of the college-going herd\u2026you can still use that time to learn something useful. Gain experiences that you might not get the chance to again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Still wondering what to do after 12th \u2013 the whole wide world is open for your exploration!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In his <a title=\"Steve Job's Commencement Address\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc\">commencement address at Stanford University<\/a>, Steve Jobs told a story that he took calligraphy class on a whim. At the time, it wasn\u2019t something that he thought will add value to his career or life plan. He just wanted to learn it. And years later, that very calligraphy lesson inspired him to add multiple font types in Macintosh.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.univariety.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Quote-SJ.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9658 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/www.univariety.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Quote-SJ.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you can see, you can never know, a skill you learn during a gap year may end up inspiring you to create something new, original, and beautiful.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>You Learn to Live in an Adult\u2019s World During a Gap Year<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking a gap year is not a whimsical choice \u2013 there is a logic behind it. Think about it \u2013 your entire school life you have been a child or an adolescent. Till this stage of your life, you do not get a sense of independence (though you crave it with every fibre of your being your entire teenage).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You live with your parents who support you in every sense of the way. You have teachers who tell you what to do, guide you. And your friends are your classmates whom you have known your entire lives, some may be your neighbours, others maybe your batch mates since pre-school. You are surrounded by people you know, who know you, your quirks, speak the same language as you do.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now compare it with the world you&#8217;ll face when you enter college life. You&#8217;ll be on your own for the first time in your life. You&#8217;ll meet people whom you do not know, who don&#8217;t know you. They will be from across the country, perhaps from a different nation, speaking different languages, eating different food, holding different opinions. And you&#8217;ll have to carve a niche for yourself.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can be overwhelming. And taking a gap year before you enter this phase will help you adjust to <a title=\"Things You Must Ensure For A Great College Life\" href=\"https:\/\/www.univariety.com\/blog\/7-things-you-must-ensure-for-a-great-college-life-ahead\/\">college life<\/a> better. You&#8217;ll be more open, more accepting of people different from you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Can you Do After 12th: Make the\u00a0 Most of\u00a0 Your Gap Year\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><b>Travel<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.univariety.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/dino-reichmuth-A5rCN8626Ck-unsplash.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9662\" src=\"https:\/\/www.univariety.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/dino-reichmuth-A5rCN8626Ck-unsplash-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"770\" height=\"403\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If there is one sure way of understanding the world with both your eyes wide open and learning how to be independent \u2013 it is travelling. It is one of the best ways you can spend your gap year that will not only give you an experience but make it memorable. You&#8217;ll get to visit places, meet people, see the diversity in culture, languages, food, lifestyles that exist, and appreciate it even more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So make plans, set an itinerary, pack your bags, and go on to the next great adventure!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Volunteering for an NGO or Community Service<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did you know that the actor Benedict Cumberbatch took a gap year after school to teach English at a Buddhist monastery in Darjeeling? Yes, our very own Sherlock himself!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What do you think he gained from this experience? Volunteering to teach English at a Buddhist monastery thousands of miles from home isn&#8217;t exactly a prerequisite for getting into drama school. Yet it did help him become a better actor, and a better human being (and not a high functioning sociopath!). By his admission, the experience taught him more than any English he could ever teach those kids.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;They taught me about the simplicity of human nature, but also the humanity of it, and the ridiculous sense of humour you need to live a full spiritual life.\u201d \u2013 Benedict Cumberbatch<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So take lessons, kids! Find a cause that you value and volunteer to help it move forward. You\u2019ll learn more of the world from it than any brick n mortar classroom will ever teach you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Internships and Part-time Jobs<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to take this gap year seriously and do something that will most definitely help you in your career in future \u2013 you can take up internships.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most often than not, students\u2019 career choices after 12<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">th<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> depend on what their parents tell them to do, or what they see their peers or seniors doing. While <a title=\"Making Career Counselling a Mainstream Experience in Schools\" href=\"https:\/\/www.univariety.com\/blog\/importance-of-career-counselling-in-schools\/\">career counselling and guidance<\/a> is increasingly becoming a priority, there is still a lack of something crucial that stops students from making an informed career decision \u2013 real-life experience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s take an example to understand the gravity of the situation. Imagine a student who really wants to be a doctor. (And not just because his\/her parents want it.) Turns out they are good at biology, physics, and chemistry, and crack all entrance exams and get into a medical college. So far, so good? Then the first day of class, wearing their white coats, students are surrounding a hospital bed, and at the sight of a dissected corpse, or well-qualified student faints.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lesson from this gruesome example \u2013 Qualification will not take you very far if you lack real-life experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/products.univariety.com\/product\/virtual-internship-program\/\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Know How It Feels to Walk in the Shoes of a Professional Through Our Virtual Internship Programs.\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking a gap year after 12th will allow you the time to take up internships and part-time jobs in the industry you&#8217;re interested in to assess if it&#8217;s the right fit for you. It will also give you a chance to earn your keep and have a semblance of <a title=\"Manage Your Finances For A Great College Life\" href=\"https:\/\/www.univariety.com\/blog\/how-to-manage-your-finances-for-a-great-college-life\/\">financial independence<\/a> &#8211; that&#8217;s the most important part of adulting!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">P.S. You can also take up internships and jobs that are wholly unrelated to your field. You can try calligraphy too! (Steve Jobs will be proud)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So to get back to my original question \u2013 What to do after 12th? I guess You finally have some idea.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Wrapping it Up!<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I hope I have convinced you that taking a gap year after school is not as disastrous as people make it out to be. But the ultimate obstacle remains \u2013 telling your parents. In my experience, if you really want to and put the effort in, you can convince them too. Make them see the benefits. Make them read this blog if you need the help!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our attempt at <a title=\"Writing An All New Chapter In Career Guidance\" href=\"https:\/\/www.univariety.com\/blog\/an-all-new-chapter-in-career-guidance\/\">Univariety<\/a> has always been to take you from a state of confusion to clarity about your future career option. And taking a gap year will give you the luxury of time to be aware of your wants and make the right decision about your future. And if you need our help, we are always available.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/products.univariety.com\/product\/book-a-session\/\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">BOOK A SESSION WITH US!<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are you wondering what to do after 12th? Good\u2026you are not alone. 1,000,000 students are wondering the same alongside you. That number looks ridiculous, doesn&#8217;t it? But that is the number of students who appear for the 12th-grade exam in India every year!\u00a0\u00a0 And sure, most of them (including you) have some sort of plan<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10076,"featured_media":9663,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"amp_status":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2086,2654,280,2083],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v15.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What to Do After 12th: Can a Gap Year Add Value Before College -<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Wondering what do do after 12th? Unsure about taking a gap year? 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