Humbled through flexibility

The most surprising thing about my GAP year experience is how things ended up falling into place, but not how I expected them to. For example, my original plan was to complete an internship under a dietitian so I could learn more about the human body in terms of food science. Instead, I became the manager of a GNC and have learned about food science and nutrition that way. I am getting experience in the same field and topic, yet in a totally different fashion. before I started my gap year planning, I remember reading blogs that said the most important thing to remember when entering my gap year is to be flexible. Originally, I thought that advice was more for people who didn’t have a clear plan or couldn’t figure out what they wanted to do. I saw my plan as bulletproof and strong, something I could stick to and complete in its entirety. However, I was humbled when new doors opened in my life resulting in a change of plans. No, it was not part of the original blueprint, yet I am getting exactly out of it what I needed to. Coming from someone who always thinks they have everything figured out, this was really eye-opening to see that it is OK for plants to change, and it doesn’t make the experience less worth it. I don’t need to have everything figured out to a T in order to benefit from the experience. So, after taking this managing position, I can say that I am exactly where I need to be learning exactly what I need to be learning, even though it wasn’t the original plan.