Gap Year FINAL1

Gap Year FINAL1

YOU’RE GRADUATING high school, and you’re not sure what’s next. Maybe you have a plan, but you’re not sure it’s the best idea. There are so many things you want to do with your life – how can you commit to one of them in a career or a college? When I was graduating high school and deciding what to do next, I faced this same question. I was a teen. All I’d known was school. How was I supposed to know who I really was or what I was meant to do? These questions led me down a path that started with adventure and self-discovery. Eventually it led to a life-changing experience that not only prepared and guided me through college but into my career. It didn’t just shape me professionally but personally and spiritually. This is the story of my “spiritual” gap year and how it impacted my life forever.

HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHO I REALLY WAS OR WHAT I WAS MEANT TO DO?

ADVENTURE

THIS IS THE STORY OF MY “SPIRITUAL” GAP YEAR

SELF DISCOVERY

&

LIFE CHANGE

HOW IT IMPACTED MY LIFE FOREVER.

LIFE CHANGE

WHY I PURSUED MY “GAP YEAR” EXPERIENCE

I’ve often heard wise people say that when figuring out what you want to do with the rest of your life, you have to first prioritize what’s most important in your life, as well as figure out what you want to achieve when it’s all said and done. Of course, in high school, figuring out what I wanted to achieve wasn’t the easiest life question I’d ever been asked. There was so much I wanted to achieve. I wanted to be a writer, an actor, a teacher and a thought leader. I wanted to have a quality education and the best at whatever I did. But in spite of how awesome those things are, I came to the realization that the most important thing in my life, and, therefore my first priority, was as basic as my identity in Christ. Everything else would breathe, and emanate from my basic beliefs and principles. So, after high school, I had options lined up at a few Christian universities – Cedarville, Liberty, Southeastern – but there was something that didn’t sit right about the idea of committing four years to a university or a college. Although I thought an English degree might be the best way to go, I still wasn’t so sure about the idea of “locking into” what I thought would be a career- deciding choice. I didn’t have enough life experiences to make that kind of a decision! It was at that time that I started thinking about taking a year between high school and my four-year degree. I’d heard of a place called the Word of Life Bible Institute and that it was an accredited post-secondary program solely focusing on academic, collegiate-level biblical study, offering one and two- year programs – all with the purpose of laying a faith foundation as well as discipling students as they prepare for the future. My dad actually spent a year there after he graduated, but I never thought it would be right for me. But now, knowing I wasn’t so sure about locking into a career just yet, and since my identity in Christ was so foundational for my life, it only made sense. Instead of just marinating for who knows how long or doing something I wasn’t sure about, I could go to a place where I could develop my relationship with Christ and my understanding of God’s Word. So that’s how my “gap year” was different than most. Sure, I took a year away from the traditional academic path, but it certainly wasn’t a gap in my life experience or a time of aimless wandering and self-discovery. Instead, it was a different sort of experience...one that laid a foundation for the rest of my life.

ACTOR?

NO

NO

TEACHER?

WRITER?

NO

YES

SINCE MY IDENTITY IN CHRIST WAS SO FOUNDATIONAL FOR MY LIFE, IT ONLY MADE SENSE.

WAIT, WHAT’S A “GAP YEAR”? It’s ok if you’re not acquainted with the term “gap year.” It’s actually a more common practice in European countries and developing nations than in America, although it’s slowly taking hold in the U.S. too – especially with Ivy League schools like Princeton, Yale and Harvard (which is definitely an attention- getter). A typical gap year, according to the American Gap Association, is meant to deepen and increase awareness, especially in terms of the practical, the professional, and the personal. I recently read this Harvard article which discussed the impact of gap year on students. Many students said that their year away was a “life-altering” experience, a “turning point,” and what many people needed. Of the students who took a gap year, the article goes on to say, “Most feel that its full value can never be measured and will pay dividends the rest of their lives. Many come to college with new visions of their academic plans, their extracurricular pursuits, the intangibles they hoped to gain in college, and the career possibilities they observed in their year away. Virtually all would do it again.” Of course, my gap year didn’t look like most people’s. I didn’t backpack across Europe or sail across the seas. I didn’t work at a farm or start my own business, and I didn’t make a documentary or run away with a circus. I think those are actually pretty awesome things that I could have enjoyed (except maybe the circus), but my priority was elsewhere – in Christ.

“GAP YEAR” TAKING HOLD WITH IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS:

LIFE- ALTERING EXPERIENCE

MANY STUDENTS SAID THAT THEIR YEAR AWAY WAS A

TURNING POINT

WHAT I WANTED WASN’T AS MUCH A “BROADENING” OF MY SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE AS MUCH AS A “DEEPENING.” “

A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE OF THE GAP YEAR In most of these articles, there’s generally an element that’s missing. They talk about deepening awareness in the “practical,” “professional” and “personal.” That’s good alliteration, but I think we can take the liberty of adding another distinct category – the spiritual. Sure, there have been some that have taken the gap year to “broaden” their spiritual perspective – that is, observing other religions and spiritual systems. So I can’t say this “spiritual” gap year idea is completely original. But as a guy heavily influenced by postmodern ideas and other belief systems, what I wanted wasn’t as much a “broadening” of my spiritual perspective as much as a “deepening.” In other words, sure, I wanted to be knowledgeable in what other religions believe, but even more than that, I wanted to learn what it truly means to be a follower of Christ and what God’s Word says. BLANK SPACE: DEFYING MYTHS ABOUT THE GAP YEAR No, not the Taylor Swift song (although I will say I cannot help but jam to that song every once in awhile). The “Blank Space” perception is the notion at the core of every myth associated with gap years. It’s the idea that all gap years are a waste of time and don’t add to your professional value in a measurable way. I can tell you, from my experience, that this couldn’t be farther from the truth. My so-called gap year is still one of the most influential years of my life – not a blank space but a bridge to my future. So let’s take a look at some of the most common myths surrounding gap years:

MYTH #1

IT WON’T ADD TO YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE / CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR RESUME

This is one of the most bogus myths about gap years. Most gap years in one way or another are actually geared towards advancing someone’s career – not just through the valuable experience of widening their perspective but actually getting their hands dirty with work. Personally, I had an awesome work experience during my gap year. I snagged different tutoring opportunities both at the Bible Institute as well as at a local school working for pay. I even got to write for our yearbook, which eventually led to my current writing job! More on that later.

And I wasn’t the only one who got work experience – there are always experiential roles to fill at the Bible Institute, even now. In my department alone, we’re offering students service opportunities in photography, design, writing, project management, and other creative fields. Other departments and service areas offer students opportunities in customer service, groundskeeping, IT, videography, tech support, culinary service, and more. So a gap year is a great way to explore different options. Find what you love and gain valuable experience.

MYTH #2

IT’S SELF-CENTERED

While some gap year students might have selfish motivations, for most, gap years are a time to become a better version of yourself and ultimately serve others more effectively. In my experience of taking the time to study God’s Word, most would agree that this kind of “selfishness” isn’t selfishness at all – it’s self-development. Plus, during my time at the Bible Institute, I didn’t just focus on bettering myself. At the Bible Institute, there’s a core ministry component that’s all about serving others. I went out and learned what it means to intelligently share the Good News of Jesus in New York City and Clearwater, Florida. I learned how to more effectively deal with kids and how to communicate with them through my ministry experiences at the Bible Institute. During my second-year ministry with a church plant, I learned not only what a church plant looks like but how the process looks – a great experience considering that I want to support church plant works my whole life. Besides that, I also learned a lot from counseling at the Florida Youth Camp, and I even had the opportunity to intern at a church my second year.

MYTH #3

IT WON’T ADVANCE YOUR EDUCATION

Educationally speaking, the Bible Institute was actually a big leap forward. Besides giving me affordable credits that transferred over to Liberty University, where I completed my Bachelor’s in Biblical and Theological studies, what I learned at the Bible Institute put me considerably ahead of most of my Liberty peers. Actually, I’m not even sure why it’s called a “gap” year. It’s not like it’s some void on my record or my résumé, as if I fell off the face of the “career” planet for a year. Of course, I can’t speak for all gap year experiences, and there were times that I definitely wondered if I had made the right decision. But looking back, I know it was right, and what I learned was well worth it.

HOW TAKING A GAP YEAR MADE MY CAREER

So I had an amazing year learning the Bible, growing spiritually, learning more about myself, gaining practical experience and making lifelong friends. But what happened when that year was over? Where did it leave me? During my year at the Bible Institute, though I tried many different things, I never forgot my love for English. However, along the way – particularly when I started writing for the Bible Institute yearbook – I learned that I didn’t just want to teach English; I wanted to write it. So in that sense, I can say the experience I had during my “gap year” confirmed and further defined my direction. When it came to the end of my first year at the Bible Institute, I had planned to go to Cedarville, but my time there was so influential that I thought I should go deeper by going to second year. During my second year, I was offered an opportunity to write part time for Word of Life’s media and marketing department. Again, the original plan was to go to Cedarville to finish out my education, but then I was offered the chance to continue writing with Word of Life in an hourly position while finishing out my Bachelor’s with Liberty, with a handsome “half- off” of my tuition bill (Word of Life has a deal set up with Liberty University Online where Word of Life employees can receive half off their tuition). More recently, after finishing my BA, I came on with Word of Life full time, and now I’m pursuing my Master’s in English and Creative Writing. Not only did my gap year not hold me back from pursuing my education, but it also led me directly to my current job and doing what I love. It’s still a wonder to me that taking a gap year actually made my career. I suppose that’s simply God’s mercy and grace, but perhaps it’s even His way of blessing a desire to pursue knowledge of His Word and to be a follower of His Son.

NOT ONLY DID MY GAP YEAR NOT HOLD ME BACK FROM PURSUING MY EDUCATION, BUT

IT ALSO LED ME DIRECTLY TO MY CURRENT JOB AND DOING WHAT I LOVE.

WHAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU? Looking back, taking a year at the Bible Institute wasn’t just right for me – it was the best thing I could have done. If you’re considering taking a gap year, I challenge you to rethink some of the myths you might believe about gap years and consider how one could really shape your future. I also challenge you to rethink your perspective and purpose behind a gap year. There’s nothing wrong with traveling, working and growing personally and professionally. But the added spiritual element of spending a year at a place like The Word of Life Bible Institute can have an impact here and in eternity. Obviously, a lot of thought, planning and prayer should go into this kind of decision. While the Bible Institute is pretty different than most gap years in the sense that you can receive accreditation on top of ministry and work experience, it’s still a matter of finding what is truly the right opportunity for you. So do some research. I’ll even start you off with some resources that try to help you figure out if taking a gap year is right for you! Check out this Berkley article and this US News article. And if you’re interested in learning more about the Bible Institute, someone would be happy to talk with you and help

TAKING A YEAR AT THE BIBLE INSTITUTE WASN’T JUST RIGHT FOR ME – IT WAS THE BEST THING I COULD HAVE DONE. “

you discover if it’s the right step for you. Visit www.studywol.org for more information.

SOME OF THE MYTHS YOU MIGHT BELIEVE ABOUT GAP YEARS I CHALLENGE YOU TO RETHINK