End of a gap year: How to go out with a bang
All good things must come to an end – even gap years! When that fateful ‘last day’ comes, don’t spend it sitting in your hostel room moping because there’s no reason things can’t go out with a bang. These are our top suggestions, for not-too-subtle ways to celebrate the end of your trip…
Jump off something…
If you’ve never considered throwing yourself off something before – then now’s the time to start! Every step of a traveller’s journey can be reflected in the stages of a bungy jump - from the nerves bubbling in the pit of your stomach at the beginning, to the intense few seconds of the drop, and all the euphoric adrenaline-fuelled highs that come afterwards. You’ll leave feeling invincible and ready to face anything – even moving back in with mum and dad.
Get a birds-eye view…
Sky-dives aren’t cheap – so why not save them for one last, extravagant, goodbye to the country you’ve loved travelling in? The experience of jumping out of an airplane produces a similar euphoric response to bungee jumping, thanks to all those lovely endorphins – so any sad feelings you may have about leaving will be put off for a while. Plus, gliding through the air is a fantastic way to see the land you’ve come to love.
Toast to the locals…
Everyone loves a send off party, right? Just don’t drink the night away with other travellers in the hostel bar – there’s too much risk of falling into an alcohol-induced depressive state when you realise everyone around you is just starting out on their travels. Instead, toast a local drink to the local people – from Sake in Toyko, to Kava in Fiji, a cool beer in Sydney, or Mate in Argentina.
Tick off your list…
William Shakespeare once said: “Let’s not burden our remembrance with a heaviness that’s gone”. Or, in other words, don’t regret things, because when you get home, it will be all you think about. In travel, it’s often what you don’t try that you come to regret, so make sure you tick everything off your ‘bucket list’ before it’s too late. Even if that does mean working up the courage to sample some local Balut in the Philippines, or some dried grass hoppers in Uganda. Hey - at the very worst you’ll have a good story to tell when you get back.
Make your mark…
If you’ve had an amazing gap year, then the chances are the country or countries you’ve been travelling in have shared a lot with you. Now, it’s time to give back. Even if you’ve already been volunteering during your gap year, the truth is that most countries need much more long term support than the three to six months you could give them. Even first world destinations like Australia and New Zealand still have local problems, just like the UK, and their local charities need donations as much as ours do. So, when you get back home, set up a direct-debit donation with a charity to give back to the community. Big global organisations like Oxfam or Save the Children will always be happy for more support, but if you’re looking for something less well-known then make sure it’s legitimate with a registered charity number.
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