Gap year advice

[M&M]

Hi guys!

I hope you are all well and keeping safe! I recently realised that if I manage to secure a TC this season, I will have a year between graduating and starting my LPC/SQE. I am not sure if I want to do a masters and I think a lot of deadlines have passed already so I was wondering if anyone has any advice on what I should do during that gap? Also, any opinions on whether doing a masters is worth it?

I am also very worried that if I don't get a TC this year then the date to start my TC is going to continue extending and I will have more time but don't know what I should do with that time. It's the first time I don't have a plan for my future so things just feel really uncertain and out of control.

 

[Dheepa]

Hiya!

I think doing a masters is only worth it if it's something you genuinely want to study (especially considering the cost). A masters on its own isn't much of an advantage during the app process or even while training.

I'm on my gap year rn before starting my TC and all I'm doing is working part-time for some extra cash (holding out for being able to travel again at the end of the year haha) Honestly I'm making full use of the abundance of free time I have to catch-up on doing things I enjoy that had to take a backseat during university.

I know it can seem like you have to keep going (very hard to break out of this mindset after going through the app process I think) and somehow be productive in terms of preparing yourself for a TC, but I'd personally encourage you to take the time out. Everyone knows it's a demanding career and I think in hindsight you'd be grateful for any time off you are able to take before it.

Just my two cents!

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

If you secure a TC, use the gap year to enjoy yourself. You’ll have a long career ahead of you, so do whatever you want to enjoy the time out now.

If you haven’t secured a TC, focus on developing your skill set. That doesn’t have to be through postgraduate study, it could be through professional work experience, or through a huge number of activities that could develop you further as a person.

 

[Alice G]

I couldn’t agree more with everything that has been said! I agree with @Dheepa that doing a Master’s needs to be carefully considered and not taken lightly- it’s costly, intense and shouldn’t be done as a stop gap in my opinion for those reasons. It might also be a great time to do some volunteering if you feel strongly about a cause. I think given the struggles of the pandemic there are probably a multitude of organisations who need help and I know people who are volunteering to help with the vaccine effort.

I also agree with taking the time to just rest and recuperate after your degree. Wishing you the best!

 

[M&M]

Thank you all for your advice! I didn't consider taking some time off at all, I will definitely look into it

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Thank you all for your advice! I didn't consider taking some time off at all, I will definitely look into it

I have heard too many lawyers who haven't taken a gap year say they wish they had as they had 45+ career in front of them where the chances of taking that period of time off to do exactly what they wanted, with fewer commitments or considerations was probably never going to happen again.

Only relevant once you have secured a job though!