Working Holiday

Benefits:

1. learn a new language/brush up on their language skills

E.P.: There are little opportunities for the children to gain more exposure to
English in Hong Kong, as we mainly communicate with each other using
Cantonese. They have rare chances to practice their oral and listening skills
apart from attending English lessons at school
---grants the adolescents the opportunity to completely immerse themselves
in English language and to ameliorate their English language skills (they can
get considerable language practice through daily situations, which helps them
boost confidence in speaking English)

2. acquire life skills

E.P.: many adolescents lack several essential life skills, like developing
resilience, ability to cope with adversity and problem-solving skills. It is an
all-present phenomenon that they are not capable of dealing with daily
situations, ranging from washing clothes to cooking food by themselves, and
the prevalence of over-protective parents has further added fuel to the
problem
---students will be totally responsible for themselves, which help them
cultivate their independent personality. They will have to learn how to plan
their budget, move around, how to cook, do laundry, find accommodation,
and everything else without the protection and care from their
parents/guardianshelps them gain valuable life skills(independence,
decisiveness and courage) that are beneficial to their personal growth

3. consider carefully their future career and life goals

E.P.: High school students are often too busy preparing for public exams and
handling school workinadequate time for self-reflection and many high
school graduates are still uncertain of their future, profession and how to lead
a fulfilling life
---students can experience different ways of living during working holiday
e.g. a year spent in Nepal teaching rural children English/a year spent in a
Switzerland working as a bartender or waiter in a pub (a valuable
opportunity for young adults to better understand the world they are living in,
help them cultivate their life-long interest in teaching/photography/service
 industry or even inspire them to take up a profession in that field after
graduating from university)

4. enable them to return to study with renewed vigor and focus

E.P.: Under the exam-oriented education system, students suffer from
tremendous pressure and unrelenting stress; young adults have hectic
schedules every day a wide range of mental health problems (depression,
anxiety, anxiousness, sleep deprivation…)
---working holiday allows young adults to take a break from academics/busy
schedules (a precious opportunity for them to move away from the hustle and
bustle of metropolitan citiesallow them to relieve mental stress and live a
relatively slower pace of life before entering the real working world)

5. consummates their profiles

E.P.: Some students’ profiles may not be impressive enough and they fail to
enter the college that they want/young adults fail to get acceptances at
workplace by employers
---experiences during working holiday consummate students’ profiles (offers
a back-door route to a top-choice college)
world experience and cross-cultural understanding are often looked fondly
upon by employers and may be the bonus features that help the young adults
land the job

Challenges/cons:

1. it is costly and increases the financial burden of their family

---Most of the programmes cost at least $60000, a cost that most families are
not willing to pay for their children taking a working holiday(esp for those
families with a less favourable economic condition)
Transportation cost, accommodation, food and other necessities would all
add up to a huge amount of moneyunaffordable & heavy financial burden

2. worsened academic results

---a detour from college may lead to a long-term derailment, making the
students who take a year off of the academic treadmill not eager to climb
back on (worsened academic results, and may also lead to a deteriorating
relationship with their parents as they cannot reach their parents’
expectations in their academic studies)
3. go through times of feeling homesick and lonely
---their social life may dry up and lose contact with their friends
may regret their decision to take a working holiday as all of their friends are
heading off to universityfeelings of loneliness, anxiety, anxiousness due to a
lack of support in times of adversity
may even suffer from declining self-esteem if they fail to develop their
personal interest and passion towards a particular activity during working
holiday

Gap Year: A Boon Or A Bane?

A gap year is a year spent between graduation of high school and entry of

university. It becomes an increasingly popular option for students as it provides

time for travelling, volunteering, learning a new language, or experiencing other

activities for personal growth. The advocates put forward the idea that taking

a gap year is completely beneficial to students, while the skeptics insist that

a gap year is not worthwhile and may even ruin the students’ future. In view

of the heated debate in society and the divergent attitudes towards the issue,

this article will weigh the pros and cons of taking a gap year before going to

university.

To commence with, a gap year allows youngsters to consider carefully their

future career and life goals. High school students are often too busy preparing

for public exams and handling school work. There is inadequate time for

self-reflection and therefore many high school graduates are still uncertain of
their future, profession and how to lead a fulfilling life. A gap year is a fabulous

time for young adults to experience different ways of living. A year spent in

Nepal teaching rural children English or a year spent in a local firm working as

an intern is an equally valuable opportunity for young adults to better

understand the world they are living in. Who knows which path your interest

and passion would lead you to? A journey to Africa in gap year might very likely

cultivate your life-long interest in photography or even inspire you to take up

a profession in that field after graduating from university. A gap year is an

eye opening opportunity for young adults to explore the world and unleash their

potentials.

In addition to the above-mentioned benefit, a gap year helps youngsters

develop soft skills which are necessary for their future career. Before high school

graduation, parents always make decisions for their children fearing that they

are not wise enough to make the right choices. Young adult seldom have to

deal with emergencies themselves. A gap year therefore serves as an excellent

lesson for them to learn from real life experiences. They need to plan, budget

and execute a gap year while handling challenges ranging from finding their way

in a foreign city, bargaining with landlords for cheaper rents to repairing a

washing machine in their daily life. Travelling and leading an independent life
will doubtlessly improve one’s communication, problem-solving and

decision-making skills. These are lasting benefits that are crucial for one’s future

career.

Everything comes at a price. Despite the positive impact, a gap year may

also be a waste of time if there is a lack of planning or concrete actions. For

example, youngsters lack experience in planning and it may be too challenging

for them to implement their proposed ideas when no one is monitoring the

process like teachers assessing their learning progress in the past. Added to this,

the less responsible and determined ones tend to give up when facing difficulties.

In extreme cases, some fragile ones may even suffer from depression due to

loneliness and a lack of support in times of adversity. Youngsters who are less

self-disciplined may end up spending the entire year like having an extended

vacation, wasting time on a beach or playing video games at home every day.

A gap year may be quite costly as well. To move out of their comfort zone,

youngsters may want to visit foreign countries and explore distinct languages

and cultures that they are unfamiliar with. Some may underestimate the

amount of money needed for a trip. Transportation cost, accommodation, food

and other necessities would all add up to a huge amount of money. If young

adults opt for some organized gap year programmes, it would be even more
expensive. For families with a less favourable economic condition, it is certainly

an unaffordable financial burden. Therefore, a gap year may not be suitable for

all.

In short, a gap year is a two-edged sword that one has to handle with extra

care. On one hand, it can be a meaningful time for one to understand oneself

better so that life-changing decisions can be made. On the other hand, it will

be a waste of time if the gap year is not well utilized. High school graduates

are therefore encouraged to consider thoroughly the pros and cons before

applying for a gap year and be accountable for their decisions.