Looking for a pause, pivot or change of pace? Here’s how to make the most of a gap year

President of the Canadian Gap Year Association Michelle Dittmer on how an intentional pause can be beneficial for students and adults.

As thousands of Canadian students take their first steps into post-secondary life this fall, many may find themselves burnt out, indecisive about their program or curious about another path entirely.

Taking a step back to consider next steps might be just the reset they’re looking for, says Michelle Dittmer of the Canadian Gap Year Association.

“It’s a tool for people who are looking to get set up for the next step, whatever that looks like,” she told CTV Your Morning in a Wednesday interview.

Dittmer says that despite the common image of an all-encompassing secondary school to post-secondary pipeline, close to one in four secondary-school graduates don’t immediately enrol in college or university.

“Some of them enter the workforce, some of them do other things, but a good chunk of them are taking an intentional pause; taking that gap year, to reset,” she said. “And then, enter (post-secondary education) on a better foot.”

Beginning a new chapter before a person is ready can lead to poor results, she says, especially when dealing with burnout from what came before. A pause can also help if it isn’t yet clear which field of study is right for them.

“Why are you going to jump in and spend tens of thousands of dollars if you’re not even sure what direction you want to head?” she said. “For other folks, they need to just explore a little bit.”

Dittmer notes that while lots of parents support the idea on paper, they might worry that for their child, a gap year could make them seem unsuccessful or unmotivated.

She says it can mean just the opposite of that.

“These young people are very mature in recognizing that pushing pause right now is actually going to set them up for more success in their future.”

For the best results out of your sabbatical, Dittmer recommends using the time to research career paths, apply for scholarships and programs and gather work experience.

At the same time, it’s an opportunity to establish good habits for mental and physical health.

“Getting better sleep hygiene, learning to go to the gym and build that into your routine … getting that well-roundedness into your life is really, really helpful during that time,” she told CTV.

The gap-year formula doesn’t just apply to teenaged secondary-school graduates, Dittmer notes, but older adults in search of a change of pace, too.

“It’s all about a point of transition in your life,” she said.