The idea of spending a year away from home is something that appeals to nearly everyone. So why is taking a gap year still considered the wildcard?

幾乎每個人都有想要出門放空一年的想法。但為何這樣的舉動仍被認為是瘋狂的呢?

For a teenage student, the prospect of providing for yourself, miles away from home, can be daunting. But with an increasing number of gap year companies providing travel and trips abroad to suit any need, it is becoming easier to tailor a dream trip.

對于一個中學生來說，為自己計劃一個離家數英里遠的旅程，這想法的確讓人望而生畏。但隨著越來越多的“間隔年公司”的誕生，他們能滿足人們外出及出國旅行的各種需求，因此為自己量身定制一個夢想之旅也變得更加容易了。

You can also find gap year companies that cover everything frominternships abroad to paid work and volunteering. Such companies offer ideas and inspiration to kickstart your travelling dream.

你還可以找一些提供各種服務的間隔年公司，比如海外實習、打工機會和志愿工作等等。這些公司可以為你提供各種點子，激勵你開始追逐自己的旅行夢想。

But gap years don’t have to be all about travel. You can have a beneficial year out of education and stay right where you are. Stephanie Wood wants to be a mental health nurse, but with allied health courses being some of the most exclusive and competitive around, she is taking a year off from education in order to gain an edge through work experience: "My plan is to get a job that directly relates to my course for the next few months, so I can really gain a deeper understanding of the healthcare system. Working there over a stretch of time will both give me an impression and insight into the working world of nursing – knowledge to help me through university when I choose to go."

然而間隔年并不僅僅意味著花一年時間全部用來旅行。你可以就呆在本地學習一年，讓自己從中獲益。斯蒂芬妮·伍德想要成為一名心理保健護士，但相關的健康課程非常專業并且具有挑戰性，所以她休學一年，以便從實踐工作中獲得優勢：“接下來幾個月我打算在找到一份與我專業相關的工作，以便我能夠從中更加深入的認識健康系統的意義。在那里工作一段時間不僅能夠讓我對護士工作有初步的印象，還能讓我有所感悟，并學到將來上大學要用到的一些知識。

Choosing to take a year out can help you gain valuable experience as well as give you the opportunity to save up some funds to help you with accommodation when you get to university, living costs, food – or even just extra cash for freshers week.

選擇花一年時間出去嘗試新鮮事物不僅可以幫助你獲得有價值的經驗，還可以有機會賺點上大學的住宿費、餐食費或者至少是未來幾周的零花錢。

Gap years aren’t for everyone. Readjusting to an academic timetable after spending time abroad can be a shock. You also need to consider the practicalities, from financing your gap year to surviving without home comforts.

間隔年并非適合每個人，外出一年后歸來，重新規劃新的大學入學時間表也是一件費心費神的事情。在間隔年里，從經濟上你要脫離父母、自食其力，因此你還需要考慮這個計劃的可行性。

If you do discover that you want to see the world but still go back into education or work in September, you’re in luck – this summer holiday is an extra long one for school leavers, so there’s still plenty of time to book your ticket.

如果你想要出去看看，然后在九月時繼續回到學校或者工作中，那么你很幸運，因為暑假馬上就要來臨了，學生們可以利用這段足夠長的時間出去走走，而且你還有足夠的時間來訂票哦。