12 Reasons Why I'm Taking a Gap Year

In 19 days, I'm moving to Australia! My plan? Well, I don't really have one. I'm going on a one-way ticket with a working holiday visa and a backpack, and I hope to spend approximately 6 months traveling the country while working temp jobs along the way. Perhaps you're wondering why anyone would do this. It may seem foolish, irrational, and impractical to you. But here are 12 reasons why I've decided to take a gap year and maybe why you should too:

1. I'm young. And as Anthony Bourdain said, "If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel— as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them —  wherever you go." And that's exactly what I intend to do.
2. Sometimes I make impulsive decisions. This one tops the list.
3. I've caught a chronic case of the travel bug.
4. I'm broke now, so it's not as if I'm going to miss a salaried paycheck while I'm making minimum wage.
5. By working temp jobs and traveling to new cities, I hope to grow my global network and be exposed to a variety of industries and companies. And maybe, just maybe this experience will give me some direction toward a career.
6. Say all you want about how this economy sucks, but those entry level jobs-- they're still going to be there when I get back. I have my whole life to spend working at a serious job. What's the rush?
7. Thus far, I've been able to divide my international journeys into the following categories: volunteering, studying, and working. I want to add a fourth category--wandering.
8. I'm a naturally curious person. I've never been to Australia. With its miles of gorgeous coastline, funny accents, kangaroos, surfing, and diving, what's not to like? I want to unearth the secrets of this mysterious island/country/continent.
9. I really don't like cold weather. By leaving in September, I will catch the beginning of the Australian spring, escaping the cold weather for an entire year. Take that, winter!
10. I want to learn to live simply. There's something so freeing about being able to carry all you own on your back. Occasionally during college, I found myself caught in a web of materialism, always wanting something more. I hope to prove to myself that I can be happy without owning lots of things--that less is really more.
11. I want to give writing a serious go. People have always told me that you should pursue what you love--whatever it is that you lose track of time doing. For me, that thing has always been writing. I hope to develop my skills, build a portfolio, and learn to be a great storyteller. 
12. If there's anything I've learned in my 22 years, it's that life is short. One moment you're sitting down to a dinner of leftover lasagna, waiting for the final member of the table to walk through the door, except he never does. Last semester, I waited on an email response from a professor, only to discover that she would never lecture again. There are no guarantees in life--not even tomorrow. If there's something you want to do, you should do it. Our lives are a collection of experiences and moments. Going to Australia, scuba diving, driving on the left side of the road, surfing, and building campfires on the beach--these are all things I want to experience, and I've decided to do them now rather than hope I can do them later. I hope you'll do the same.

What are you waiting for? Take that leap of faith. 

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