The British call it "gap year", or just the sabbatical year. But it shouldn't be confused with a vacation.
Widespread in England, seen in Italy with (still) too much distrust, the sabbatical year is a "free" year. A year in which we move away from everyday life, from work, from studies. It is done to travel, to draw dreams. To imagine the future, and to learn life. Sometimes behind the house, sometimes after the ocean.
But how do you ask for a gap year and how do you make the most of it? Let's find out together.
What to do during your gap year
The gap year is a period of time away from work and/or studies, sometimes used to study other things, volunteer, write a book, or to travel the world. A rule does not exist, actually. Indeed, a sabbatical cannot exist without freedom.
It is the single person who decides if and when to take it, what to do, how long it will last (yes: a sabbatical "year" can last three or twenty months). This, as long as you don't already have a job that you intend to keep. Because, if in England the gap year is generally taken after an important event (the diploma, the degree, the end of a huge project), in Italy as elsewhere it can be taken even if you already have a job. However, respecting the law.
Moreover, already in ancient times, it was used to do so. Every seven years, the Jews stopped working the fields to give the land a respite, forgave debts, and freed slaves. It was their gap year. Today, the gap year can be used to take a break from studies, to get away from a job that does not convince, to acquire new skills, to earn some money, to learn a language, to understand what to do "when you grow up". Or, it can serve all of these things together.
The advantages
Like any choice, the sabbatical also has its cons. In addition to the many pros.
Among the advantages is the opportunity to rest and recharge. In fact, studying is hard work. Especially at the university, when many students also work part-time. A gap year is a break from stress, it allows you to take control of your life without the anxiety of voting or exams. If the studies are finished, however, it allows you to gain experience before starting a new phase in your life, acquiring skills to put on the curriculum. This is why, in England, colleges and employers welcome the gap year of their students/employees: those who return have a whole new motivation, they know each other better, they care more about people. And all this can only be positive.
The disadvantages
The main disadvantage, or rather the biggest fear, is the economic question. Especially if you intend to travel. But it's not just a matter of money. Taking a sabbatical year, you "lag" compared to peers and classmates and then enter the world of work. Also, starting over may not be that easy.
My advice? Taking a sabbatical after graduating or graduating, when there is still no employer. In this way, you will be free to design the future. And to get to know each other better.
