Fly Me to the Moon - Image source: Shutterstock, Inc. Image Credit and Copyright: © Vadim Sadovski

The Future of the Gap Year - think bigger and get inspired!

What is all the fuss about space age?

In a world hyped up by trending ideas, technology, fast moving consumables and financial bubbles, individuals, no matter the age, find themselves looking to escape from the chaos or ensuing hustle and bustle after their studies or in-between jobs, take on a gap year.

The idea of a gap year gives the individual the time and space to figure out what their next move will be in their life, education or career path. As open as a gap year seems however, breaking away from a normal routine represents change that at times an individual is reluctant to make – but really needs.

The gap year provides one with the opportunity to engage in travel adventures, studying abroad, try out various new career paths, or can be just the simple act of switching off from the world to catch one's breath again.

Several agencies, platforms and publications offer gap year solutions, offers and packages and one can become overwhelmed with choices and perhaps clouded by the vast options not to mention the breath-taking sceneries and locations that the planet has on offer.

At the end of the day, the decision lies with the individual and their personal needs, the hardest part or trick would be to know one’s own taste in an environment but even then – to try something different that is actually out of your comfort zone  or even quite literally – out of this world.

Let’s go back to the start...

The gap year itself could easily be drawn from early adventurers and explorers, one can even look towards novels where for example Phileas Fogg navigated the world in 80 days. Things seemed whimsical and fun. However, in our present-daily-clustered-environment, the world seems a little less fun and more serious...well if you are wired that way.

Fast forward to the present -

It therefore makes sense now that we have explored the world through, that individuals are now seeking new adventures beyond the realms of the world. After all, if the world is feeling ´cloudy ‘and congested with the population rapidly approaching 8 billion, it’s probably indeed time to look above the clouds. The future of travel and the giant leap from the proverbial hot air balloon to the passenger space ship is quite frankly here, creating the expectation for more extravagant adventures than what lies here on earth.

Mars One, the European Space Agency, and NASA have now set the stage to go beyond…

We are already observing the likes of multi-millionaire entrepreneurs like Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Elon Musk of SpaceX and Tesla and Sir Richard Branson founder of the various Virgin enterprises, whom perhaps are today representing technological modern-day versions of Phileas Fogg, with their visionary approach to substantial space travel.

Fly Me to the Moon - Image source and Credit © 2017 Space Exploration Technologies Corp. - SpaceX

The world has suddenly become even smaller, and not because of the technological rise of the Internet and communications but because individuals are now thinking bigger and bolder - jettisoned from the normal thinking approach to an adventure to the completely unknown – basically as the earlier explorers felt on their mind-expanding expeditions.

It is time to hyperloop in the gap year!

So, while a gap year amongst the stars in a "galaxy far far away" at the moment perhaps is imminent but still a futurist and expensive concept,  it emulates the true nature of what the gap year should be -  an inspiring platform for something that will change an individual’s life.

So, when you are planning your gap year next, think big and be bold, create a gap year that is purposeful and most importantly, one that solves your needs for adventure and self-actualization and an actual purpose in life.

Here are some inspiring links and even potential career paths to follow:

Mars One - mars-one.com
Hyperloop One - hyperloop-one.com
Virgin Galactic - virgingalactic.com
European Space Agency - ESA.int
National Aeronautics and Space Administration - NASA.gov
Blue Origin - blueorigin.com
SpaceX - spacex.com