“Being able to share such robust experiences with people that I now consider family was amazing, and I’m so grateful that I was able to see and do so much every day.”
One of the biggest perks of working in the gap year field is the opportunity to get to know our students. These young adults are not only willing to buck the trends by stepping off the traditional educational treadmill for a semester or year to do something drastically different, but are doing so with an eagerness and earnestness to see the world, gain new perspectives, give back through hands-on service, form deep and intentional friendships, develop skills and hone their passions during their gap year. We’ve featured a few of these students below as there’s no better way to learn what the ARCC Gap Year experience is all about than to learn from those who have gone before.
ALEX DIXON
Why did you take a gap year?
To gain maturity and explore the world before taking my next step into college.
What surprised you about yourself during your semester?
I was surprised that I didn’t really get sick at all on the trip. But more importantly, I was surprised at how much I personally grew at each big checkpoint of the trip. The experience was so transformative and brought out different pieces of me that I wasn’t as familiar with.
What was the biggest takeaway from your gap year?
Life is what you make of it. No one is really going to understand what happened for you on the trip except you so you have to dictate how you want it to affect you. Everyone’s path is different, and there are so many roads to take so don’t worry too much about all the crazy things in life.
What was small group travel like for you?
I had a great time. Being able to share such robust experiences with people that I now consider family was amazing and I’m so grateful that I was able to see and do so much every day.
What advice do you have for future gappers?
Do it. If you’ve already got the bug and are on the fence about it, just do it. I promise you it’s worth it. This was not only the break I needed but the learning I needed to prepare myself for the rest of my life. Do it. You won’t regret it.
IZZY LOVELL
Why did you take a gap year?
I always had intentions of taking a gap year. I believe that there is no rush to go right into college. I was a competitive ski racer up until this last year so my intentions for my gap year were to find out what else I enjoy! In the end, the East Africa ARCC Program helped me find just that. I think that one of the best ways to learn is visually so I knew that I wanted to travel during my gap year and learn from experience.
What surprised you about yourself during your semester?
My acceptance to be okay with being uncomfortable! I took this gap year to get out of my comfort zone so I could learn more about myself and the world. I was very surprised with how eager I was to try hard things and how excited I was to keep going out of my comfort zone. The East Africa ARCC Program made it so I was always in a safe environment but gave me room to grow and learn!
What was small group travel like for you?
I wouldn’t of wanted it any other way! Not only was it a small group, but an all-women’s group. Being surrounded by people who are just as excited and motivated to be traveling as I was really made my trip. There was a constant positive excitement that followed our group throughout our whole journey. Even on the more challenging days, there was always someone who was there to lift the group’s spirit and remind us just how incredible our experience is!
What advice do you have for future gappers?
Be open to everything! There are so many new things you are exposed to in those 70 days so it’s important to want to try everything. It might be scary at first but in the end you might regret not doing that one thing!
Is there anything else you would like to add or share about your gap experience with ARCC?
My gap experience made me realize what I actually wanted to study in college and what I am passionate about. I am so grateful for the experience I had and the people that made the trip!
LUKE STERNBERG
Why did you take a gap year?
Before my trip to Southeast Asia, I’d never left the United States, and during my college decision process, it was a no-brainer for me to stay close to home, but pretty soon into my first year, I started to feel like something was missing from my life. The more I learned about my values, the more I realized I needed a change. I chose to take a gap semester because I realized my dissatisfaction was due to being too comfortable in my comfort zone, and I needed to gain a new appreciation for myself and the world.
What challenged you during your semester?
During my semester, I experienced several valuable challenges that have allowed me to grow. The one that sticks out most was during the second week of the trip when I became ill and simultaneously experienced a profound level of homesickness. It felt like they exacerbated each other, which enabled my anxiety to try and discourage me. Still, through the support of my peers, meditation, and acceptance, I pushed through the challenging week and became a better person. It was difficult to experience, but I’m grateful for the challenge because it better prepared me for future roadblocks that I would encounter.
What surprised you about yourself during your semester?
What surprised me the most on the trip was how much I loved having a group of people to share experiences with. I’ve always thought a solo adventure would best suit me, but looking back now, I couldn’t imagine living the ARCC experience with any other people, let alone on my own. During the trip, I discovered that I am more of an extrovert than an introvert, and having a group of incredible people around me at all times, while being able to learn and grow from conversations with locals allowed me a sense of fulfillment I’ve never felt in my life before. I’m grateful to have made relationships during the semester that will last a lifetime, and to have met people that I will never forget.
What was small group travel like for you?
Traveling with a small group was better than I could have ever imagined. Before the trip, the idea of meeting a group of strangers and living with them for months scared me. Still, whenever I felt that way, I would always tell myself not to worry, because if we all chose to go on this adventure, we must have something in common, and that theory turned out to be true. Looking back, I couldn’t imagine spending my gap semester with any other group of people. A small group proved to be the perfect size for an ARCC adventure, as it allowed me to lean on my peers and develop close relationships while allowing a more immersive overall experience.
What advice do you have for future gappers?
My advice for future gappers is to try to appreciate every experience you encounter, even if it’s challenging emotionally or physically. When those two and a half months are over, and you’re flying back home, it’ll still feel like the trip just started. So, appreciating every moment, whether good or bad, by being present and expressing gratitude allows you to not get too up or down and build stronger memories that’ll stay with you for the rest of your life.
Is there anything else you would like to add or share about your gap experience with ARCC?
Best experience of my life 🙂
