Taking a Gap Year This Fall? Here are 5 Things to Think About
Traveling internationally? If you don’t already have a passport, GET IT NOW! There are scholarships available for students applying for their first passport. Check out the Brenda Brown Passport Scholarship. If you already have a passport, make sure that it will be current 6 MONTHS AFTER YOUR RETURN. If it expires before then, you will need to renew it as soon as possible.
Do you need a travel visa for where you’re going? Check out the U.S. State Department international travel website: www.travel.state.gov for all kinds of security information. You also want to enroll in the State Deparement’s STEP program to be alerted of international security issues.
Keep program deadlines in mind. Many gap year programs that start in the fall will have deadlines in late-spring (May/June), so keep those dates in mind. Putting them on your calendar is a great idea. If you miss them, but you’re still interested in the program, reach out to an admissions person with that program. All programs have waiting lists, and it is absolutely worth it to get on those lists.
Make a packing list. What kinds of things will you need that you don’t already have? Do you have a birthday between now and your departure? Friends and family love to buy specific things that you will need for your adventure. For luggage, keep in mind: suitcases on wheels + cobblestone streets = a huge pain in the neck. Running to catch a train, bus, or airplane with a backpack is much easier than with a rolling suitcase.
Do you take any prescription medication? Talk to your doctor’s office and your insurance provider about having enough of whatever you need for the duration of your adventure.
All of these things take time, so it’s best to be ahead of the game. Careful planning and preparation save a TON of stress and worry.
