Page 20 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 8 2025

ESTATE MATTERS
ESTATE MATTERS
LIFESTYLE
MIND THE GAP

Why some teens need a pause - and what to do with it

B Y NIC OLA KILL OPS

y the end of matric, most kids fall It didn’t. Here are some of the better-known (and
into one of two camps: Camp “I lesser-known) gap year options doing the
Know Exactly What I Want”, and I lasted six months before finally admitting rounds in 2025 — and what they’re actually
BCamp “Please Don’t Ask Me That defeat and asking to take a gap year. I like.
Yet.” ended up au pairing in the Netherlands for
a year, and that’s when things clicked. I WORTHWHILE GAP
Y
Both are valid. But only one of them gets came home knowing exactly what I wanted 6 EAR PATHS
treated like they’re on track. to study — and I’ve loved every minute of Wildlife Volunteering
the career that followed. If your teen is animal-mad and not scared
Here’s the thing: not every 18-year-old is of hard work or the occasional goat
supposed to have a career path mapped Sometimes kids need momentum. smell, this is golden. Programmes like
out. For some, a gap year is not a delay — Sometimes they need a break. The skill is Care for Wild, Moholoholo, or ACE place
it’s a lifeline. And not the “sit on the couch knowing which one applies. young adults in wildlife sanctuaries or
and figure life out” kind. I’m talking about conservation centres. They learn about
a year with purpose — where they try new So what does a “good” gap year actually animal care, conservation ethics, and (let’s
things, develop life skills, maybe travel, look like? be honest) doing your share of the grunt
maybe work, and most importantly, get to It should have at least one of these: work.
know themselves outside of school.
A skill learned Great for: Nature lovers, aspiring vets,
MY OWN NOT-SO-LINEAR ROUTE
I left school in 1996 with exactly zero A real-world experience gained or anyone who wants to do something
clarity about what I wanted to do. meaningful and offline for a bit.
Some income or independence earned Adventure & Growth Camps
So I did what many directionless teenagers Not everyone’s built for lecture halls just
do — I signed up for a BA with random A slightly more grown-up version of your yet. Programmes like Quest Africa and
subjects and hoped inspiration would strike. child at the end of it Warriors Academy focus on physical

18 DPL issue 8 2025
6 DPL issue 5 2025