10 Ways to Maximize Learning On Your Gap Year

Every morning on your Gap Year, you’ll need to wake up and renew your commitment to maximizing your learning potential every day. Now, this is no easy feat. Some days, staying in bed and escaping reality will seem like the more attractive option. But don’t fall victim to Gap Year learning exhaustion, which includes side effects that make you think sitting in your room all day on your laptop is an appropriate way to spend your time.

Here are a few things you can do every day to maximize learning on your gap year, without tiring yourself out.

Get Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable

In our culture, feelings of discomfort, boredom, awkwardness, embarrassment, or irritation are actively avoided (for obvious reasons). For instance, rather than stating how we really feel, we skirt around a tough subject. Rather than enjoying a pleasant evening watching TV with Gran, we pull out our smartphone and half-watch, half-hold on-going text conversations about nothing. Rather than taking a foreign language class and sounding stupid, we stick to English and never raise our hand in class.

On your Gap Year, you shouldn’t avoid these rubs. They’re hard. They’re juicy. They’re where the learning lies.

greet Strangers

You never know when a simple hello can turn into a conversation which can turn into a home-cooked meal which can turn into a lifelong friend. If you commit to greeting strangers every day, you not only might learn something new about the culture you’re living in, but you’ll probably learn a thing-or-2 about yourself, too.

It’s psychological, too. The more we smile at people, the more warmth we feel towards them. It’s hard to demonize foreigners as “others” when you’re so happy to see them. Keep smiling and watch your worldview and perspective expand, too.

Commit to Using the local Language

We know it’s hard, but it’s such a small thing that can really make a difference. The more you commit to using the local language, the easier it will become over time. Start small and work your way up as you learn more terms, see the language in action, or better understand accent or tonal nuances unique to your gap year destination. You’ll be sounding like a local in no time.

Stay Strong & Healthy

While another late night with your travel buddies might seem like a good idea in theory, be conscious towards your health and fitness while on your gap year. Drink lots of water. Take time to raise your heart rate or stretch with some yoga. Eat your veggies. All those annoying things your parent(s) told you to do as a kid… now’s not the time to reject them. Being mindful towards your health will allow you to stay mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally welcoming to the lessons of your gap year. Don’t burn the candle at both ends and then wonder how you ended up in bed with a debilitating cold for 10 days.

Break Away From the Group When You Can

While it’s fun to share experiences with friends and it’s likely your gap year program will have a buddy-system rule, you should advocate for time to explore areas independently, too. This individual experiential education allows for more unique interactions with others – after all, you’d be intimidated by a group of foreigners, too. Wandering alone (while still be hyper-aware of your surroundings and keeping your wits about you!) will open up opportunities for observation, engaging with the culture in new ways, reflection, and reciprocity.

Read a book at night instead of scrolling through your phone.

Ah yes, reading. A tried-and-true method for learning. Here are some great ideas for books to read while on your gap year:

• A book written about your gap year destination
• A book written by an author from your gap year destination
• A historical fiction novel written about your gap year destination
• A book outlining current relations between the USA and your gap year destination
• The Harry Potter series in the local language where you’re traveling

So much learning disguised as a healthy way to fall asleep each night.

Get Walking

Don’t just cruise past things in a taxi or on the bus. Resolve to walk your Gap Year destination on foot. Go down alleyways, take the long way home, visit more far-flung neighborhoods. Nothing turns a foreign place to a home as much as familiarity, and seeing it all from the comfort of your sneakers is an excellent means to that.

Don’t go on a walk with expectations of what you’ll see. Strip your mind of your stereotypes; recognize your surroundings more objectively. Observe your conclusions and store them away for future chewing.

Put the Camera Away

Documenting your experience with your camera is awesome. However, rather than being a useful tool for creating memories, it can actually serve as a barrier between you and the others around you. Think about it. Your camera automatically identifies you as a tourist, which can lend itself to a “visitor” mentality instead of a “one of the locals” mentality.

You don’t need to use your camera every day on your Gap Year. Maximize learning by looking at what’s around you with your eyes rather than with your lens.

Decide That Everything is Interesting

With the right frame of mind, the world around you will come to life (and stay alive!). While participating in your new communities, decide to observe everything with wonder instead of judgment. Not only will this make you more open to learning, it will allow you to appreciate your new lifestyle in a new and meaningful way. Rather than constantly focusing on things that don’t make sense (like how the bureaucracy is horrible or the lack of lines insane), this mindset will free you.

Converse & be Proactive!

Small talk or long discussions are all fair game. Open that big mouth of yours and get talking – to anyone, about anything (assuming cultural appropriateness). Conversations, whether with strangers or friends, will always lead to something learned. A new way of looking at things, a new fact, a new thought that pops into your head. Everyone you meet has something to teach you; don’t let your shy character or fear of sounding silly hold you back from receiving these lessons.

What other small things can you do each day to squeeze every ounce of learning potential out of your Gap Year?