I think gap years are an excellent idea. If you can afford to travel for part of it, do so. I feel that I've grown the most as a person from all of the travel

I think gap years are an excellent idea. If you can afford to travel for part of it, do so. I feel that I've grown the most as a person from all of the travel I've done. Your perspective changes when you see how other people live and that the world is a big and different place outside of your neighborhood and the latest US-centric cable media coverage. If you go backpacking you'll find that it's extremely common for European/Australian/Kiwi people to do gap years, it's only unheard of in the states.