Words: Giulia Simolo

Gap years are not just about getting away from it all or heading overseas. Although they sure can be and why not? But they can also be a great chance for you to improve your life and get what you want.

Although 2010 has begun, it's not too late to score yourself a gap year. Here are some benefits to it and why you should seriously consider it:

Gimme a break!
Gap years give you a cool opportunity to do something different after you've been stuck in school for so many years. It's a break that you might not get to take once real life starts - jobs, paying rent, careers, and so on. So why pass up the opportunity?

You can concentrate on yourself
The time you take for a gap can also be a great period for you to think for yourself, without being influenced by your parents and what your friends are doing with their futures. Time out to do your own thing is important so you can suss things out for your future. If you rush into a decision without thinking if it's what you truly want for your life, you could end up signing up for something that leaves you unfulfilled. Everyone's harping on about how you should get your future started, but it doesn't hurt to take some time to find out what it is you really want and set down some goals that mean something to you.

It develops your skills
Although you might assume gap years are about being lazy, they can be put to very good use. Your future could start with one, not just after it! A gap year can help you develop many skills - if you use your time wisely. For instance, if you head overseas and get a temporary job, you will meet new people and develop skills that could help you when you get a job back home. Even if you don't go away, you could take a break from your future plans (such as signing up for varsity) whereby your gap year enables you to enter the job market.

Taking a gap year and doing something productive with your time can also be good experience to put on your CV for prospective employers to see. It shows you have experience, and that's the buzzword employers are always looking for.