No Places At University Take It As An Opportunity And Never Look Back!

With A-Level results out in under a week it is time for the annual statistics to be thrown in our direction. This mornings headlines predict the 2012 University air angry bird applicants (i.e. this years leavers who commit to a gap year) could face an average of ￡50k of debt by the time they leave University. Hyped up figures they may be, but when coupled with the prediction that there will be over 300,000 students who are not able to gain a University place this year, and minimal clearing places, many will find themselves feeling that they are being forced into the situation. Throw in the decrease in graduate opportunities, and it’s easy to feel that it feels like a tough world for future school leavers. However, it is in the face of adversity that the mighty rise and the weak crumble, there is a world of opportunity and there is no better time to take it than now!Whilst the choice of a gap year (and the prospect of impending debt), or a walk down the university of life might not be the decision people would like to be making, from our side we would like to offer our words of comfort and highlight the benefits that both a gap year, and heading out into the rc flying fish real world can give. Don’t feel pressured to do what do what your peers do, it is often those who make bold decisions that reap the benefits later.There are many opportunities for those travelling to South Africa. Ticket to Ride are the leading provider of surfing gap years, and they offer very worthwhile courses in both South Africa and Costa Rica.Ticket to Ride’s main gap year course in South Africa gives students the opportunity to learn Air Swimmers to surf, travel the coastline, get involved in community projects, and ultimately take their surf instructor and surf lifesaving qualifications. This course is the perfect opportunity for those who are looking to make the most of their year off, as if offers a range of CV building credentials and vocational qualifications enabling you to work internationally as a surf coach, and making you more employable when you graduate from university.Costa Rica is a fantastic place to travel, and the gap year courses offered by Ticket to Ride here are nothing short of life changing. Try 6 weeks surfing in the warm Pacific waters, whilst throwing yourself into the Costa Rica lifestyle with yoga classes and Spanish lessons as well as having a range of adventurous activities such as canopy tours, fishing, and snorkelling thrown in and you really do have the trip of a lifetime.There is plenty of opportunity out there for those who take a year off between school and university, be it planned or not! By the time your peers have come to leave University you’ll be in a much stronger position than they are. For starters your bank balance should be in credit (if you’ve used your qualifications well!) you will have gained a range of vocational qualifications, a huge network of contacts and friends, you will have had three amazing years, and you will have been able to demonstrate that you can move forward in an industry. You also will be able to show that when presented with an unpleasant situation (rising fees, no university places etc) you had the initiative to take an alternative route, which has given you all of the above. Employers will be fighting to air swimmers get their hands on you!So don’t feel the burden of needing to walk the same path as those around you take an alternative route and you may well find yourself ahead of the game in three year’s time!