While many have a fair idea of a gap year is and what it consists of, there are many myths out there about taking one. While everyone’s gap year is specific to them, these are the top 5 different myths I’ve heard other people say or ask about gap years, in general:

1) It’s only for those who with lots of money

While you definitely need money to travel, you don’t have to be rich to take a gap year. There are many options to fund your gap year from saving 1-3 years in advance like I did to getting a working holiday visa in certain countries to working for free, in exchange for accommodation. For more details on how to prepare for your gap year check out this page.

Money is far by the most common excuse I hear from people on why they can’t travel or take a gap year. “It costs too much!” or “I wish I could afford that” are phrases I hear from people. To me, it’s a change of mindset. If you make a gap period a priority, you can make it happen. See my article on creative ways to make to make your gap year happen with little money.

In my opinion, the earlier you can take a gap year the better. The reason is you never know how your health will be in the future. There is no guarantee of good health by the time you’re in your 60’s or 70’s in the “golden” retirement years. That is the reason I took my gap year when I was in my twenties. Regardless of age though, it is never too late to take a gap year. The most important thing is that you take one!

2) It’s only for those who are young

You do not have to be 18 or 21 years old to take a gap year. Take it from me – I did it when I was 29, as a young working professional, saving for 3 years and paying off all of my student loans. I have met other travelers on the road who were doing it in their 40’s, 50’s and even in their 70’s! Families with kids can do it too – one example is Chad Carson telling his story on the Mad Fientist podcast, in which him, his wife and two kids lived in South America for 17 months.

3) All people do on their gap year is travel and party

While the majority of people will use a gap year to travel, a gap year can be so much more than that! Some people will use it to spend time with family members who are maybe getting older, some will use the time to further their education and skill sets, some will take a sabbatical to do research on a specific subject (academia settings). I personally used mine to travel, but it became so much more than that. Aside from traveling to 24 different countries, I walked the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route by foot for over 500 miles (800 km), volunteered a vineyard in Chile making wine, did a month long road trip camping out of my car across the US and improving my Spanish along the way. Not only that, but I met hundreds of different people from all over the world, learned about their ways of life and made quite a few friends. A gap year is SO much more than just travel, believe me. It will be the best year of your life.

4) Nobody will hire you after I come back from a gap year

This is a common misconception for so many Americans! I know it was for me when I came back from traveling. With many of my friends from Europe, a gap year is already common practice in their societies, so it is very much accepted by all, including employers. However, with the United States, periods between jobs are highly scrutinized by employers with much suspicion, so many Americans are a lot of times fearful to take leisure periods between jobs.

You shouldn’t let this notion make you believe you won’t find a job after a gap year, in fact it could be quite the opposite. More and more employers are now seeing value in those who have traveled, studied or lived internationally. They are starting to view those who have taken a gap period to travel as more well-rounded from their experiences and perceive them adding to value to their organizations! Not only that, but they can see those individuals as risk-takers, which is a skill desired by many employers.

Do not let having a job hold you back from taking a gap year! In some circumstances, taking a gap year is a perfect time after leaving a job.

5) A Gap Year Does Not Have to Be a Full Year… Unless You Want it To Be

The beauty of a concept of a gap year is that it doesn’t have to be a literal year! A gap year is a meant to be a period of time in your life that is a “gap” between your “normal” life stages, whether that be between high school and university or job to job, or even family life to retirement. My personal gap year was not a literal full year, but at approximately 11 months and that a perfect time for me. Some other travelers I met were doing it for 3 months, some for 6 months and one person I met was doing it for 2+ years. Everybody’s situation is different and you need to choose the right amount of time for you. Even if you take a 3 month gap year, taking one is better than not taking one at all! Plus, it doesn’t mean you can’t take a longer one later on.

Inspired to take your own gap year? Start planning your gap year here.