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?

　　几乎每个人都有想要出门放空一年的想法。但为何这样的举动仍被认为是疯狂的呢?

　　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.

　　对于一个中学生来说，为自己计划一个离家数英里远的旅程，这想法的确让人望而生畏。但随着越来越多的“间隔年公司”的诞生，他们能满足人们外出及出国旅行的各种需求，因此为自己量身定制一个梦想之旅也变得更加容易了。

　　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.

　　你还可以找一些提供各种服务的间隔年公司，比如海外实习、打工机会和志愿工作等等。这些公司可以为你提供各种点子，激励你开始追逐自己的旅行梦想。

　　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."

　　然而间隔年并不仅仅意味着花一年时间全部用来旅行。你可以就呆在本地学习一年，让自己从中获益。斯蒂芬妮·伍德想要成为一名心理保健护士，但相关的健康课程非常专业并且具有挑战性，所以她休学一年，以便从实践工作中获得优势：“接下来几个月我打算在找到一份与我专业相关的工作，以便我能够从中更加深入的认识健康系统的意义。在那里工作一段时间不仅能够让我对护士工作有初步的印象，还能让我有所感悟，并学到将来上大学要用到的一些知识。

　　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.

　　选择花一年时间出去尝试新鲜事物不仅可以帮助你获得有价值的经验，还可以有机会赚点上大学的住宿费、餐食费或者至少是未来几周的零花钱。

　　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.

　　间隔年并非适合每个人，外出一年后归来，重新规划新的大学入学时间表也是一件费心费神的事情。在间隔年里，从经济上你要脱离父母、自食其力，因此你还需要考虑这个计划的可行性。

　　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，然后在九月时继续回到学校或者工作中，那么你很幸运，因为暑假马上就要来临了，学生们可以利用这段足够长的时间出去走走，而且你还有足够的时间来订票哦。

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（责任编辑：何莹莹）