The columnist for Yahoo Lifestyle Australia is named Sophie Dillman. From her time on Home and Away to what it’s like to be in the public eye and falling in love at work, Sophie offers insider perspectives on a variety of topics.
I have now been residing in the UK for approximately SIX MONTHS! It feels dreamlike. I should be getting out of bed at four in the morning and driving to Palm Beach for a day of Bay fishing. However, that part of my life is now over, and I’m in the middle of a type of “gap year.”
The choice for Patrick and I to relocate abroad was made for a variety of reasons. When we graduated school, neither of us had the opportunity to travel overseas. My parents specifically told me I couldn’t because they thought I wouldn’t stay home to study, and looking back, they were probably right. We were also extraordinarily fortunate to work at Summer Bay throughout the majority of our twenties. Due to the confluence of these factors, we felt as though we had missed an essential aspect of adventure and self-discovery. Therefore, we packed up our beautiful lives into three suitcases and left in December of last year.
There are advantages and disadvantages to undertaking this at 30. Here are some things to think about before you commit if you’re thinking about doing the same thing.
The hardest part for me was packing up my life in Sydney. My friends had been my entire universe for a very long time, and I loved them all dearly. Particularly because it contained furniture I had paid for, friendships I had fought for, and a life I would have been content to live indefinitely. These things become less ephemeral as you age.
I was afraid of being the party’s senior citizen. Most people take a gap year after graduation, when they have fewer obligations and much more energy. My knees aren’t what they used to be, so my days of sleeping at bus stations and dancing for a week straight are definitely over.
I was and still am concerned about my professional future. Even though my job path will never be straight, in some ways it feels like I have moved down the ladder rather than up, therefore I can definitely relate to people who have a clear career trajectory. Along with that, there’s the terrifying idea of my biological clock. Evidently, I’m past the prime of my eggs, and I’selfishly’ don’t want to spend a summer in Europe feeling ill.
Despite all of these concerns, there are undoubtedly certain advantages to doing this at 30.
Putting together a financial plan is really beneficial. In my early 20s, holidays involved scraping every penny from my tip jar at work and still having to contact my parents from a hostel pay phone to ask for a loan. It has been less stressful for Paddy and me because we were able to build up processes and strategies for ourselves while we were here. We have prioritised and reserved areas we want to visit as a result, giving us a lot to look out to.
This time, I also recall a lot more of my adventures. Finding the cheapest bar and festival ticket isn’t all I want to do. I have happily participated in all of those activities because I am a major fan of both art and history. Instead of being drunkenly forgotten, memories are really being created.
I’ve had a rollercoaster of a gap year so far. Even though it’s been challenging and difficult at times, I don’t regret a second of it. I have discovered so much about my spouse and myself, and I have made so many priceless moments that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
You never know what the future holds, so bloody go for it, as Covid showed us.
