Finding My Wandering Dream: 1:1 Gap Year Consulting Review | Shifted to a more action-oriented mindset than I expected

#Shifted to a more action-oriented mindset than I expected #Peace of mind, a broadened perspective #A sense of relief from frustration and anxiety

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Country / City: Asia/South Korea/Seoul
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I''ve often felt like I haven''t done anything up until now.. So I related to it a lot, and it made me think once more that I should gain many experiences and fill my blank slate, even if it''s late.

-A time to find my wandering dream, 1:1 gap year consulting review

1. Please give a brief introduction about yourself.

I''m 25 years old, I''ve completed the first semester of my fourth year at university, and I''m planning to take a leave of absence.

The reason I''m planning to take a leave of absence isBecause I want to get to know ''myself''.

Like other fourth-year students, I was also writing internship cover letters here and there,

While writing cover letters,

what I really want to do, what I like, what I''m good at,what could these be?

I found myself thinking.

I also felt that I had lived passively and timidly until now,

Because I had been going back and forth between home and school, I thought I hadn''t experienced much.

So I''m going to take a leave of absence and try many things I haven''t done before, and the things I''ve been making excuses to avoid.

But actually, I don''t have a clear plan of what to do during the leave.. ㅜㅜ

For now, I''m making plans based on what came up in the consulting.

''I''m quiet, introverted, not very talkative, and not good at speaking.''

I thought that until about 1–2 years ago.

Maybe because I tried to change my personality a bit, I''m not sure whether I wasn''t originally like that.

But these days I don''t think that way.

I don''t think I''m necessarily bad at speaking,

I actually like talking with people and meeting them more than I thought.

And I like exercising, especiallybasketballI like it.

My life isn''t very long yet, but I''ve spent more than half of it with it.

Basketball is like a source of energy in my life. I didn''t even realize it, but

when I talk about basketball, my eyes apparently light up... haha.

I love basketball that much.

As I wrote, it seems I wrote incoherently, and the introduction feels lacking..

I''m not good at introducing myself, so I hope it''s a short, well-done introduction haha.

2. How did you first learn about gap years?

Um… actually I don''t remember very well,

I think the first time was when I saw an article about Korea Gap Year in Daehaknaeil.

I happened to be thinking about taking a leave of absence, and it caught my eye, so I searched for Korea Gap Year.

I also watched CEO Ahn Si-jun''s Sebasi talk on YouTube and listened to the podcast.

3. What made you decide to seek consulting?

A feeling of frustration and anxietybecause of that,

the thought that I wanted to get help,

or justthe thought that I just wanted to talkso I signed up for consulting.

I had the idea of wanting to take time off from school,

what to do while on leave,worries and anxieties about whether taking a leave was okay,I found out about gap years when I had many such concerns.

So, um… at first I applied as a last resort.

Rather than having huge expectations, I applied because I just wanted to talk to someone amid my frustration.

Of course, I did have some expectations.

I hoped I could draw up a rough plan for my time off,

I hoped it would help me consider things I hadn''t thought of.

4. What was the most memorable piece of advice you received from the consulting?

''Develop your ability to express yourself''That was the advice.

It became the core of that day''s session,

and I also thought it was something I was greatly lacking.

So I immediately borrowed books, downloaded movies, and signed up for humanities lectures.

Also, I remember the suggestion to have a drink with my dad or go on a trip together.

And, rather than advice?

Currently My state is ''blank slate'' I remember you saying that.

How to fill that blank is what''s important..

It stuck with me because I related to it a lot.

Put positively, it''s a pure blank slate with lots of potential, but,

You could also say that I haven''t done anything up until now.

I''ve often felt like I haven''t done anything so far..

So I related to it a lot, and thought I should gain many experiences even now, that I should fill the blank well I thought about it once more.

5. What was the first thing you did after receiving the consulting?

I borrowed books and downloaded movies.

During the consultation, I was told that since I''m lacking in expressive ability, I should read books or watch movies for a month.

Write about what I felt after reading the book on about half an A4 page,

and watch movies and look up interpretations of them.

So I went straight to the library and borrowed from the list they gave me, starting with the one I most wanted to read,

(Through unofficial channels..) I downloaded the movies.

I haven''t finished watching them yet.

Also, they recommended a humanities discussion course, and I signed up for it.

6. What changed before and after the consulting?

First, my anxiety and worries have lessened a bit.

Just that alone makes me feel like I''ve somewhat achieved the goal I had when applying for the consultation, haha.

And, somehow,I felt motivated I did neglect my school studies a little, though..

(Doing things I hadn''t (really) tried before was fun in itself,

more than beforeEnergy? I feel like I''m living with energy.

I had been thinking only about finding a job.

Maybe that''s whyI felt pressured by something and my mind was really rushed,

letting go of those thoughtsthe idea of filling myselfand when I started planning

my mind seems more relaxed than before.

I''m not sure yet if my expressiveness has improved.

I think it''s improved even just a little,

I think I still need more practice and training.

Lastly, I''m the type who thinks and worries more than acts,

NowI''ll think a little less and just go for itI''ve developed that mindset.

7. If you were to compare how the consulting felt to an object, what would it be?

''a mountain''''It felt like that.

The frustration and anxiety were relieved and my mind became a bit more relaxed.

When you''re in the mountains you feel a sense of stability..

They say green gives a sense of calm.. haha

And when you go up a mountainyour view widens.

Like that,broaden my view and try many different thingsI decided once more.

Also, when I hike alone I end up thinking a lot,

After the consulting, I think about myself even more than before.

8. What was difficult or challenging while receiving the consulting?

I had trouble finding it the very first time... haha.

They assigned a reading and movie-watching task,

It was really hard trying to do it while also taking school exams, doing assignments, the certification test I had registered for, and attending humanities lectures.

Actually, because of that I couldn''t complete the assignment perfectly.

Now that the semester is over, I''ll continue with the book and the movie.

9. If you were to give a satisfaction rating for the consulting, how many stars out of 5 would you give?

4 starsAbout that.

I''ve arranged to meet with the director a few more times, so I don''t think the consulting is finished yet.

So I don''t think I can give 5 stars... haha.

11. What would you say are the strengths and weaknesses of the consulting program you participated in?

I think a strength is that the consulting is conducted flexibly.

I haven''t seen other people''s consultations, but,

In my case, they first assessed my situation and then provided consulting tailored to it, which I liked.

And I also liked that, to me, it was conducted in a very comfortable manner.

I don''t know how it might have been for other participants or the director, though...

To me, it felt like talking with an older brother I know; he seemed very warm... haha.

12. Advice for friends who will participate in the consulting program

Those planning to take a leave of absence or people who don''t know what to do,

Sowho feel anxious, worried, and frustratedI would recommend it to those people.

Like me... it''s okay to sign up without much expectation! I definitely think it will be very helpful.

13. Now that you''ve finished the consulting,What are your plans going forward?

For now, I''ll spend about two months doing only competitions and a simulated investment contest (recommended by the director).

I don''t have any concrete plans after that yet.

For now, I want to learn English and Spanish, and to learn to play an instrument.

Oh, and I''ll regularly meet and hold discussions with the people I met in the humanities course.

14. Finally, what does a gap year mean to you?

I''m just starting my gap year now,

During that time, I want to find things I want to do and things I like,

and I hope it will be a time when I can get to know myself better.

I also hope to gain many other things in addition to those.

So right now, a gap year is something that gives me that hope and expectation.

''Korean Gap Year'' a company called ''older brother''seems like.

During the consulting, it sometimes felt like talking with an older brother,

When I was feeling frustrated, talking with him seemed to ease some of that frustration.

And, I feel like if I asked for help, he''d probably help me again later... haha