Mind the gap year

JORDAN MOSHE

“The pressure students feel as matric comes to an end frequently comes from their parents,” says Joseph Gerassi, executive head at Redhill School. “There’s a belief that if a child doesn’t go straight to university, they never will. They will fall out of the discipline of exams and learning, and never return.”

“My experience tells me that this is nonsense,” Gerassi says. “Today, matric is probably the most pressurised year of the first 30 years of one’s life. Comparatively, even the first year of university is a breeze, as you need only 50% to pass.”

The stress of the matric year takes its toll on students, and should be borne in mind when making decisions about the future, he says. “Our matric students write exams in seven subjects. Many take on two or even three more. By the end of the year, most students are burned out emotionally and academically, but many of them go on to a degree straight away, in spite of not really knowing what they want to do.”

For this reason, a gap year might be a good idea. “Every student is different,” says Gerassi. “Not all are burned out, many know what they want to do, and can go to university directly. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, some need time away from the rigours of study, and a gap year is therefore a good idea.”

There are various definitions of a gap year, he says, but it’s not time off spent doing nothing. “It should be relaxed, but time spent doing something constructive. Whether it’s for six months or more, working at a job, acquiring a skill or volunteering, you need to guard against thinking of doing nothing.”

Besides the obvious benefit of having a break after the stress of high school and matric in particular, gap years can have tangible benefits when it comes to mental health, says psychologist David Abrahamsohn.

“In 2013, about one-third of university-age students in America reported experiencing depression, and almost half experienced overwhelming anxiety,” he says. “Gap years can give students the tools they need to navigate the challenges that adult life brings.”

Gap-year activities also expose students to situations that require critical thinking, adaptability, and problem solving, allowing them to develop personality strengths. “They are beneficial for students who haven’t been exposed to many experiences outside of their families, community, and school. Through a gap year, people are often pushed out of their comfort zones when they experience different customs, cultures, and languages.”

Abrahamsohn says a gap year might also help students to navigate the challenges of tertiary education, a point with which both Gerassi and Dr Max Price, the former vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Town (UCT), agree.

Says Price, “Although we can’t prove it empirically, we’ve often found that students who take a gap year adjust better to the demands of university.

“For many of them, it’s the first time they are away from home, outside of a familiar environment, or are responsible for their own studies and lives in general. It’s their decision whether to go to class or not, whether they will go out for the night and miss the next day.

“Some students who go to university directly find this difficult to handle, and their freedom often results in failing and not adapting to the huge jump educationally and socially.”

The discipline of work experience or volunteering might inform career and study choices, offer a global perspective, and make better students, Price says.

Unfortunately, the year could have the opposite effect. “Some come back very unsettled and more confused,” says Price. “They find it difficult to readjust to study. Unfortunately, there is no evidence that shows how one might respond. The family and student must think through what will work in their case, emotionally, academically, and financially.”

Gerassi says a gap year need not come immediately after matric, but can take place after initial undergraduate study or a few months before enrolment in some cases. “A gap year is a good idea at some point. If one goes directly into university after matric, it’s best to take some time off before an honours or master’s degree.”

Whenever one chooses to take it, all agree that it needs to be a productive and structured year. Says Gerassi, “Even an ulpan kibbutz is a learning experience. I am not for doing nothing or just going to ‘find yourself’ – you don’t. You can find yourself within a programme, by learning something, or working at a job.

“The concept of a gap year is brilliant one. Whether it is after school or undergraduate study depends on the student. It’s a meaningful gift.”