Níor ghlac mé go hoifigiúil le bliain saor riamh agus bhí sé ar cheann de na botúin is mó de mo shaol. Nuair a bhain mé céim amach ar scoil ag ocht mbliana déag d’aois, ní raibh a fhios agam cé hé mise agus cad a chuir suim agam ann. Faoi thionchar na sochaí “Ba cheart dom” rith mé chun na hollscoile gan aird a thabhairt ar an iliomad “D’fhéadfainn” a bhí laistigh de bhaint amach anois go raibh mé saor ón gcóras oideachais foirmiúil. Ainneoin nach bhfuair mé aon bhrú ón mbaile chun tumadóireacht a dhéanamh ar an gcéad dul síos san oideachas tríú leibhéal, ba mhór an scéal é go bhfuil bliain saor curtha in áirithe do dhaoine gan uaillmhianach nó gur cur amú ama é. Tar éis dom an bhliain a chaitheamh ag atheagrú mo CAO gach seachtain agus ag cur brú ar scrúduithe gan ach dearmad a dhéanamh ar na torthaí bliain ina dhiaidh sin, rinne mé neamhaird de m’instinct agus chinn mé cloí leis an status quo agus chuaigh mé díreach chuig an ollscoil.
Ní hamháin gur fuath liom mo chúrsa ach rinne mé díspeagadh ar mo ghnáthamh; bhí gach rud oibleagáid. Freastal ar an ollscoil, obair, codladh, sóisialú; Ar pháipéar níl aon fhadhb, ach seithí an cheist laistigh den taithí fíor. Bhí faitíos orm na ranganna, shuífinn trí na ranganna a bhí tinn go fisiciúil faoi chiontacht agus fios agam nach raibh fonn ar bith orm dul i mbun infheistíochta dosháraithe na céime roghnaithe agam. Imní ar siúl trí dom laethúil, uafás a dhéanamh arís ar an lá céanna, na tascanna céanna. Le linn dom a bheith ag obair tráthnóna amháin thug sé breacadh an lae orm go raibh mé féin tar éis an saol “ba cheart a bheith agam” a chur orm agus ní an saol “a d’fhéadfadh a bheith agam”. Roghnaigh mé an cúrsa, roghnaigh mé an treo a raibh mo shaol ag dul isteach agus is fuath liom é, ach ba é mo rogha féin é. Mar sin féin, chiallaigh sé seo go bhféadfainn mo intinn a athrú, mo réaltacht a athrú. Sular thosaigh an dara seimeastar, d’fhág mé an ollscoil agus thosaigh mé ag maireachtáil ar shaol a d’fhéadfainn “a d’fhéadfainn” a chaitheamh trí bhliain leath-saor. An ceacht is mó a d’fhoghlaim mé ón ollscoil a fhágáil go luath, ná go dteastaíonn daoine áirithe (níos mó ná mar a admhóidh an tsochaí) bliain saor!
Trí bhliain saora thraidisiúnta a sheachaint, ní raibh deis agam ach dul i ngleic le heispéiris áirithe sular fhill mé ar oideachas lánaimseartha. Mar sin féin, tá raon féidearthachtaí aimsithe agam ó shin le haghaidh bliain bhearna fhéideartha, cuid acu a bhfuilim ag brú isteach i mo shaol anois fiú.
Déan cursa:
Cé go bhfuil sé thar a bheith úsáideach taithí a fháil ar rud éigin a d’fhéadfadh a bheith ina ‘side hustle’ nó mar shlí bheatha amach anseo, níl sé ábhartha sa deireadh cén cúrsa a dhéanfaidh tú chomh fada agus go gcuireann sé struchtúr ar fáil do do sheachtainí. Féadfaidh blianta saora a bheith uaigneach má tá do chairde ag obair nó cláraithe san ollscoil agus is é an easpa gnáthaimh seo go díreach a chothaíonn an scéal sochaíoch go mbíonn daoine a roghnaíonn blianta saol leisciúil nó gan treo sa saol. Mar gheall ar an gcosán a ghlac mé, chláraigh mé ar chúrsa oiliúna múinteoirí ióga, a raibh buntáistí gan teorainn leis; déanann sé freastal ar m’intinn agus mo chorp, cuireann sé deiseanna foghlama agus sóisialaithe ar fáil, agus ar ndóigh cuireann sé go mór le m’infhostaitheacht laistigh den earnáil. Cuireann go leor scoileanna, stiúideonna agus gnólachtaí oiliúint ar fáil i gcéimeanna teanga, i ndeimhnithe oiliúna pearsanta nó fiú i gcúrsaí ’barista’. Rachaidh an gníomh forbartha pearsanta seo i bhfeidhm ort i rith na bliana saor duit agus beidh an t-eolas agus na scileanna a ghnóthófar chun fónamh duit i bhfad ina dhiaidh sin.
Togra paisean:
Is deis iontach é chun dul i mbun an tionscadail paisean sin nach bhfuil an t-am agat riamh dó. B’fhéidir go raibh scéal sáite agat i do shamhlaíocht ach go bhfuil tú srianta ag tosaíochtaí eile nach dteipeann ort an ríomhaire glúine a oscailt nó peann a thógáil. B’fhéidir go bhfuil tú ag brionglóid faoi chaitheamh aimsire áirithe, ach ní cosúil gurb é an t-am ceart riamh é a chur i bhfeidhm. Tá sé ríthábhachtach gníomhú; cuir in áirithe do rang Pilates, cláraigh do bhallraíocht giomnáisiam ar feadh bliana, tosú ag cur brú ar ‘side hustle’ go dtí go n-éireoidh sé. Fiú má chuimsíonn na hiarrachtaí seo céim seachas stíl mhaireachtála nua, ní féidir le duine ar bith a rá leat gur cur amú ama é céim a dhéanamh lasmuigh de do chrios chompord agus do chumas a thástáil.
Taisteal:
An ghníomhaíocht is minice a bhaineann le bliain saor i bhfad níos saoire ná mar a thugtar dúinn go minic chun a chreidiúint. D’fhéadfá a bheith sa riocht ina bhfuil an t-airgead agat chun dul isteach ar an iarnród nó chun cónaí i dtír roghnaithe ar feadh tréimhse fada ach is minic a dhéanaimid dearmad ar an iliomad deiseanna saora chun taisteal. Cuireann campaí samhraidh, an Ghaeltacht nó eagraíochtaí ar nós ‘work away’ ar do chumas taisteal mar mhalairt ar do chuid ama ag teagasc, ag cabhrú nó ag obair. Bronnann an modh taistil seo taithí ort agus tú inbhuanaithe ó thaobh airgeadais de. Is rogha iontach eile é obair dheonach thar lear i gcónaí. Mar sin féin, más é ceann de chuspóirí do bhliain bhearna ná sos oibre a bhrú ach mura bhfuil tú in airgead mar sin d’fhéadfá obair a dhéanamh ar feadh leath na bliana agus é ar intinn agat taisteal don leath eile.
Forbairt phearsanta:
Ar deireadh, molaim maireachtáil. Ó lá go lá, ag rómánsú na rudaí beaga, ag aimsiú an-áthas sa lá go lá, sa simplí, sa chiúin. Má ghlactar le bliain bhearna oifigiúil ní thugann sé sin díolúine duit ón mbrú chun an saol “ba cheart duit” a chaitheamh in áit an tsaoil “a d’fhéadfadh tú”. Ná géill don bhrú taisteal nó rás chun post lánaimseartha a fháil mura mothaíonn sé sin ceart duit. Fiafraigh díot féin an bhfuil na roghanna atá á ndéanamh agat toisc go gceapann tú gurb é an dóigh a gcreideann daoine eile gur cheart duit “gur cheart” a bheith ag caitheamh an tsosa agus ní conas “a chaithfeá” é saor ó thionchar seachtrach. Mura bhfuil tú tiomanta do rud ar bith go háirithe don idirthréimhse seo, ní bheidh sé leisciúil tú. Mura bhfuil spriocanna ar bith agat, ní bheidh sé i ndán duit go mbeidh bliain leadrán ort. Tá an oiread sin bealaí éighníomhacha táirgiúla ann chun taithí a fháil ar an am seo de do shaol. Is féidir leat ranganna seachtainiúla éagsúla a dhéanamh, nós léitheoireachta a dhéanamh, cuairt a thabhairt ar do leabharlann áitiúil, an trá, na sléibhte, an pháirc, taighde a dhéanamh ar slite beatha féideartha, am a chaitheamh le daoine, bualadh le daoine nua, oibriú ar do chaitheamh aimsire, agus tosaíocht a thabhairt do aire a thabhairt duit féin; úsáid a bhaint as an am seo mar dheis chun stíl mhaireachtála inmhianaithe a fháil amach agus a chur ar a chumas teacht i gcrích trí ghníomhaíochtaí comhsheasmhacha laethúla.
Is í an eochair do bhliain saor thaitneamhach ná taighde agus pleanáil; Leis an dá theicníc seo feidhmeoidh an briseadh seo mar infheistíocht ní mar dhliteanas. Beag beann ar a ainm, ní gá go mairfeadh an tréimhse seo de do shaol bliain iomlán, mar mhalairt air sin ní gá go mbeadh sé teoranta do bhliain amháin. Is é an mhíthuiscint is mó inár sochaí maidir le céim siar nó cosáin a athrú ná go scriosann sé smacht an duine ach go minic nuair a fhilleann duine ar an bhfórsa oibre nó ar thimpeallacht acadúil tar éis an bliain saor is minic a aimsíonn siad go gcoimeádann siad go leor gnáthaimh, gníomhaíochtaí agus meon a thacaigh leo le linn na tréimhse bunathraithe seo.
Cibé an dtéann tú ar eachtra thar lear, go dtógfaidh tú bliain amuigh sa bhaile, má tumtar tú san ollscoil nó go n-imíonn tú san fhórsa saothair, coinnigh i gcuimhne nach bhfuil do shaol ag fanacht leat ag deireadh aon chosáin, ach gurb é do shaol an cosán a ghlacann tú.
As Beala/ In English
I never officially took a gap year and it was one of the biggest mistakes of my life. Graduating school at eighteen years old, I was clueless about who I was and what interested me. Driven by societal “shoulds” I raced to university ignoring the numerous “coulds” which were within reach now that I was freed from the formal education system. Despite recieving no pressure from home to dive headfirst into third level education, the deafening narrative that a gap year is reserved for the unambitious or is simply a waste of time was roaring at me. After spending the year rearranging my CAO every week and stressing over exams to only forget the results a year on, I ignored my gut instinct and decided to stick to the status quo and headed straight for university.
Not only did I hate my course but I despised my routine; everything felt like a chore, everything was an obligation. Attend uni, work, sleep, socialise; On paper there is no problem, but the issue hides within the lived experience. I dreaded the classes, I would sit through the classes physically sick with guilt knowing that I had no desire in pursuing the insurmountable investment of my chosen degree. Anxiety coursed through me daily, horrified to repeat the same day, the same tasks. While working one evening it dawned on me that I had subjected myself to the life I “should” live and not the life that I “could” live. I chose the course, I chose the direction that my life was going in and I hated it, but it was my choice. However, this meant that I could choose to change my mind, to change my reality. Before the second semester began, I dropped out and began living a life that I “could” by the means of a semi-gap year. The biggest lesson I have learned from dropping out, is that some people (more than society cares to admit) seriously need a gap year!
By shying away from a traditional gap year, I only had the chance to dabble in certain experiences before I returned to full time education. By tapping my toes into the different pools of life I have discovered an array of possibilities for a potential gap year, some of which I even squeeze into my life now.
Do a course
While it’s extremely useful to gain experience in something that could serve as a side hustle or future career it’s ultimately irrelevant what course you undertake so long as it provides your weeks with structure. Gap years can be isolating if your friends are working or enrolled in university and this lack of routine is exactly what feeds the societal narrative that people who opt for gaps years are “lazy” or “directionless”. The path I took led me to enrolling in a yoga teacher training course, which has had endless benefits; it serves my mind and body, it offers opportunities to learn and socialise, and of course it drastically increases my employability within the sector. Multiple schools, studios and businesses offer training in language degrees, personal training certificates or even barista courses. This act of personal development will occupy you during your gap year and the knowledge and skills acquired will serve you long after.
Passion project:
A gap year is the perfect opportunity to embark on that passion project that you never have the time for. Maybe you’ve had a story stirring in your imagination but constricted by other priorities you fail to open up the laptop or take out a pen. Maybe you admire a certain hobby, but it never seems to be the right time to start putting it into practice. Taking action is key; book that Pilates class, sign up for the year long gym membership, start fleshing out a side hustle until it materialises. Even if these endeavours embody a phase as opposed to a newfound lifestyle, no one can tell you that stepping outside of your comfort zone and putting your capabilities to the test is a waste of time.
Travel
Travel, the activity most often associated with a gap year is far more feasible than we are often led to believe. You may be in the position where you have the funds to interrail or reside in a country of choice for a prolonged period but what we often overlook is the multitude of cheap opportunities to travel. Summer camps, the Gaeltacht or organisations such as ‘work away’ enable you to travel in exchange for your time teaching, assisting or working. This method of travel awards you experience while being financially sustainable. Volunteering abroad is always a brilliant alternative. However, if one of the purposes of your gap year is to press pause on work but you are not financially in such a position you could work for half of the year saving with the intention to travel for the remaining half.
Personal development:
Lastly, I recommend living. Day to day, romanticising the little things, finding the joy in the everyday, in the simple, in the serene. Taking an official gap year does not grant you immunity from the pressure to live the life you “should” as opposed to the life you “could”. Don’t give in to the pressure to travel or race to find a full-time job if that doesn’t feel right. Ask yourself if the choices you are making are because you think it’s how others believe you “should” be spending the break and not how you “would” spend it free from external influence. Not committing yourself to anything in particular for this transitional era does not make you lazy. Having no goals set in stone does not doom you to boredom. There are so many passively productive ways to experience this time of your life. You can do different weekly classes, make reading a habit, visit your local library, the beach, the mountains, the park, research potential careers, spend time with people, meet new people, work on your hobbies, and prioritise looking after yourself; utilise this time as an opportunity to discover a desirable lifestyle and enable it to come to fruition through consistent daily actions.
The key to a rewarding gap year is research and planning; with these two techniques this break will serve as an investment not a liability. Regardless of its stage name this period of your life doesn’t have to last a full year, alternatively it doesn’t have to be limited to a single year. The biggest misconception in our society about stepping back or changing paths is that it translates into going off the rails but oftentimes when someone returns to the workforce or an academic environment post gap-year they often find that they keep many routines, activities and regulation techniques which supported them throughout this fundamentally transformative period.
Whether you embark on an adventure abroad, take a year out at home, immerse yourself in university or dive into the workforce, keep in mind that your life is not waiting for you at the end of any path but rather your life is the path that you take.