{"id":181307,"date":"2021-07-08T15:30:37","date_gmt":"2021-07-08T07:30:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/?p=181307"},"modified":"2024-11-20T19:37:41","modified_gmt":"2024-11-20T11:37:41","slug":"taking-a-year-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/taking-a-year-off\/","title":{"rendered":"Life lessons learned from taking a year off"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019ve read my previous article about <a href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/taking-a-gap-year-in-hong-kong\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">taking a gap year<\/a>, welcome back. If you don\u2019t know me, I am a 19-year-old who took a year off studying after secondary school graduation. Throughout my 17 months in Hong Kong, I enjoyed all the best things in town (<a href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/staycation-in-hong-kong-hotels-boutique-luxury\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">staycations<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/new-restaurants-in-hong-kong-2021\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">new restaurants<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/affordable-massages-foot-reflexology-day-spa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">massages<\/a>\u2026 you name it!), but I\u2019ve also had experiences that have taught me things that I wouldn\u2019t have learnt at school. Before I leave Hong Kong and go to university, I want to share with you three life lessons from taking a year off.<\/p>\n<h3>1.\u00a0Strive for things within your control, and don\u2019t blame yourself when the unexpected happens.<\/h3>\n<p>Growing up in elite schools, I was always told that I have to be the best in order to live the life I want. Be a top student, get into a world-class university, find a job with a high salary\u2026 Since I somehow managed to accomplish these &#8216;social expectations&#8217;, I truly believed that anything was achievable with effort and dedication. But I had yet to learn that most of the things that happen in life are beyond my control.<\/p>\n<p>While I was working this year, I had verbal confrontations that scared me. (Not with my colleagues, in case you\u2019re wondering. My co-workers are amazing!). Having done my best and with a sincere attitude, I couldn\u2019t understand why I had to face those terrifying words.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_181421\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-181421\" style=\"width: 1400px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-181421 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/07\/taking-a-year-off-office-conflict.gif\" alt=\"Taking a year off to learn how manage office conflict\" width=\"1400\" height=\"1000\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1400px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1400\/1000;\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-181421\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Learning to cope with conflict at work is valuable life skill. (Photography: Liza Summer via Pexels)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The truth is, some people might act rude at work just because they are having a bad day. I was right to reflect on what I could have done differently, but I was wrong to think that it was entirely my fault. At the end of the day, I shared the incident with a career mentor, figured out that the problem was miscommunication, and learned that I shouldn&#8217;t overthink things when future conflicts occur.<\/p>\n<p>So, if you are a perfectionist teen like me, taking a year off can help you learn that your career will be very different from your student experience. Good grades are attainable through your own effort and hard work, but achievements at work are often affected by uncontrollable factors like people, luck, and timing.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Cherish the &#8216;good\u2019 bosses and co-workers<\/h3>\n<p>I\u2019ve met people with all kinds of different personalities while working in junior positions in the F&amp;B industry while taking a year off from school, and I&#8217;ve gradually learned what it\u2019s like to have a &#8216;good&#8217; boss. I was lucky to work with managers who knew my strengths, encouraged me to try new things, and involved me in decision making. I proposed and executed different ideas, increased my potential, and learned valuable lessons first-hand.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_181420\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-181420\" style=\"width: 1400px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-181420 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/07\/taking-a-year-off-mentoring.gif\" alt=\"taking a year off for career mentoring\" width=\"1400\" height=\"1000\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1400px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1400\/1000;\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-181420\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wax on, wax off. Don&#8217;t be afraid to ask for help from mentors. (Photography: @windows via Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Moreover, surrounding myself with motivated, passionate co-workers has never felt more important. Soon after I joined the company, my direct manager\u2019s seat went empty, so I pushed myself to take on challenging tasks as a newbie. Fortunately, I identified my weaknesses and reached out to the experts for help. When I was unsure about copywriting, I spoke to a colleague who has worked in communications. When I felt lost about social media strategy, I did some training with a veteran marketing consultant. (She\u2019s not even my colleague but she\u2019s happy to teach!)<\/p>\n<p>To me, &#8216;good&#8217; people in the workplace aren\u2019t necessarily the smiley ones, but those who can help me acquire new skills and grow in my career.<\/p>\n<h3>3. You deserve to enjoy something nice, mindfully<\/h3>\n<p>Our spending ability can be restricted by our income, but that doesn\u2019t mean we shouldn\u2019t enjoy good things occasionally. A few months ago, I became so frugal that I spent as little money as possible on almost everything. I set a maximum-spending limit of $60\/day, thrifted $14 near-expired sandwiches, and obsessively tracked my expenses on Google Sheets. Although I managed to increase my savings for university, I felt miserable.<\/p>\n<p>I was malnourished, socially disengaged and preoccupied by money-saving ideas. \u201cYour parents work hard to afford your private education. Don\u2019t you feel guilty about taking a year off and spending your money?\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_181418\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-181418\" style=\"width: 1400px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-181418 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/07\/taking-a-year-off-hong-kong-tram.gif\" alt=\"taking a year off in Hong Kong take the tram to save money\" width=\"1400\" height=\"1000\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1400px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1400\/1000;\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-181418\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Skip the cab and take the Ding Ding home to save your pennies for a more meaningful splurge! (Photography: @alisonpang via Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As a result, I&#8217;ve since learned that being thrifty means spending on the right things, but not restricting all spending all the time. When I am sick, I go see a doctor instead of hoping that I will get better by myself. When I&#8217;ve finished reading a challenging book, I reward myself with a nice meal \u2014 which I&#8217;ve learned helps keep me motivated. When my friends invite me out to dine at a fancy restaurant, I remind myself that I have the right to suggest a cheaper alternative.<\/p>\n<p>Be mindful of the purpose of your spending, and don\u2019t compromise on your basic needs \u2014 that\u2019s my golden rule.<\/p>\n<h3>Lessons for life<\/h3>\n<p>To be frank, after taking a year off from school to gain vocational experience, I&#8217;m worried if I will seem odd among 5,000+ other freshmen who just got out of secondary school. What\u2019s good, however, is that I discovered that I am passionate about working in the hospitality industry and, as a result, will attend one of the world\u2019s best hotel schools. The people that I have met, and the friends that I have made, have taught me valuable life lessons from taking a year off that I couldn&#8217;t have imagined or anticipated at the beginning of my gap year.<\/p>\n<p>In short, taking a year off from school was dramatic, life-changing, and extraordinary.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019ve read my previous article about taking a gap year, welcome back. If you don\u2019t know me, I am a 19-year-old who took a year off studying after secondary school graduation. Throughout my 17 months in Hong Kong, I enjoyed all the best things in town (staycations, new restaurants, massages\u2026 you name it!), but [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":107501,"featured_media":181419,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"categories":[18024,9],"tags":[23910],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.7 (Yoast SEO v23.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Taking a year off to learn new skills and life lessons | Honeycombers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Taking a year off before university helped me find my vocation and learn new skills and life lessons that I wouldn&#039;t have learned in school.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/taking-a-year-off\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Life lessons learned from taking a year off\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you\u2019ve read my previous article about taking a gap year, welcome back. If you don\u2019t know me, I am a 19-year-old who took a year off studying after\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/taking-a-year-off\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Honeycombers Hong Kong\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/honeycombershongkong\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-07-08T07:30:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-11-20T11:37:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/07\/taking-a-year-off-leap-the-gap-MAIN-IMAGE.gif\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/gif\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Reika Nakagawa\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@honeycombershk\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@honeycombershk\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Reika Nakagawa\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/taking-a-year-off\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/taking-a-year-off\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Reika Nakagawa\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#\/schema\/person\/32e948ca20cca84235bd874445485a8c\"},\"headline\":\"Life lessons learned from taking a year off\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-07-08T07:30:37+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-11-20T11:37:41+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/taking-a-year-off\/\"},\"wordCount\":992,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/taking-a-year-off\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/07\/taking-a-year-off-leap-the-gap-MAIN-IMAGE.gif\",\"keywords\":[\"opinion piece Hong Kong\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Local Buzz\",\"Things To Do\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/taking-a-year-off\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/taking-a-year-off\/\",\"name\":\"Taking a year off to learn new skills and life lessons | Honeycombers\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/taking-a-year-off\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/taking-a-year-off\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/07\/taking-a-year-off-leap-the-gap-MAIN-IMAGE.gif\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-07-08T07:30:37+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-11-20T11:37:41+00:00\",\"description\":\"Taking a year off before university helped me find my vocation and learn new skills and life lessons that I wouldn't have learned in school.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/taking-a-year-off\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/taking-a-year-off\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/taking-a-year-off\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/07\/taking-a-year-off-leap-the-gap-MAIN-IMAGE.gif\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/07\/taking-a-year-off-leap-the-gap-MAIN-IMAGE.gif\",\"width\":1400,\"height\":1000,\"caption\":\"Taking a year off can help bridge the transition between secondary school and university. 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