Gap Semester Reflection
Here are all the shenanigans resulted from my spontaneous decision to gap. Taking a gap semester was hands-down one of the best decisions I’ve made in 2024.
Hello, my dear readers. It’s been a hot second since I last published.
Now that enough time has passed by and thoughts have sedimented, I present to you
My Gap Semester Reflection.
Taking a gap semester was hands-down one of the best decisions I’ve made in 2024. Although creating my adventure was challenging, it proved to be incredibly rewarding. It was a chance to truly explore my interests, learn more about my identity, and just let serendipity run wild. Having zero travel plans or jobs lined up, I jumped into the waters head first. Caveat: I actually got an co-op offer from L’Oreal but I rejected it because the compensation unfortunately didn’t reflect my value.
After spending my first month in my Chicago home base, I traveled—chronologically—to five cities: Philadelphia (for fun/photo project), Pittsburgh (for work), Des Moines (for volunteering/conference), the San Francisco Bay Area (for meeting new people), and Miami (for reconnecting with old friends).
Some highlights:
Met some incredible new friends who are exceptionally talented and passionate about their craft–be it photography, startups, VC, music, tech…etc. S/O to Brayan, Nathan, Aria, Mike, Collette, Anna, and Adry!
Reconnected with some folks–some of whom have founded and secured funding for their startups. I love that everyone around me is tinkering with their own projects.
Had a wonderful and inclusive small group from church, which made my time at home much more fulfilling.
My dear friends flew from Boston and New York to ring in the New Years with me and Rebecca!
Photography: got my photo into a juried art exhibition, did videography for an audience of over 2000, did event photography at a hackathon for 3 days, built a new post-documentary project on women in STEM research
Creative Pursuits: performed standup comedy, gave a guest lecture on AI in marketing at my high school, made a YouTube video on zero-knowledge proof
Career Exploration: finished my VC fellowship with an European fund, mentored a group of high school students at an international food security conference, read a bunch of career guides on 80,000 hours and listen to lots of podcasts
These highlights made me realize that I take a lot of agency in what I do, and I have a knack for making friends and establishing close bonds fast. I suspect my networking skills stem from my genuine and down-to-earth nature, since I never put up a “perfect” facade. Instead, I just yap about shenanigans and *show off* my relatable vulnerabilities.
Some lowlights:
Didn’t read as many books as I had hoped. I started 5 and I finished 2.
Didn’t code as much as I liked. Reviewed Python via CS 50 and used Cursor AI and GPT4 to build a chatbot.
Didn’t apply to as many summer internships as I had hoped.
These lowlights made me realize that it is difficult to keep myself disciplined without any external pressures like assignment deadlines and exams. I often opt for the path of least resistance and succumb to procrastination, though I am excited for this spring semester of classes!
Here are more observations on how I’ve changed and characteristics of myself:
I have come to cherish my own company, having overcome FOMO and recognized my inherent self-worth.
I realized that I need a career centered on innovation, one that leverages my knack for connecting with people while providing a fulfilling lifestyle. Naturally, VC and crypto emerged as prime contenders. This is a stark contrast to freshman-year Julia, who only wanted to work in the food industry.
I am now able to discern who and what truly merits my time. I prefer dining solo to engaging in tedious and mundane conversation.
Although friends come and go, I’m fortunate to have found supportive companions whose affirmations have elevated my standards for meaningful friendship. I try to serve as a devoted friend to those around me by keeping in touch, sending friends things that remind me of them, and even traveling to see them in person.
I have grown in empathy and now serve as an approachable, understanding, and laid-back group leader in some group settings.
Early-stage VCs are all about vibes and the context you meet them. If you are a cracked founder who passes the vibe check and received a warm intro to the VCs/met them at a party, you are 80% there.
I am not afraid to travel to different places alone (at least within the US) and have meticulously refined the essentials in my carry-ons.
I excel in science communication and can captivate my audience with my engaging tone of speech, which I realized does not come naturally to most people. Maybe I should make more YouTube videos.
My standup comedy class has honed my storytelling abilities, though I am still working on impromptu speaking and accelerating my reaction time to say comebacks.
I became more comfortable with uncertainties and able to adapt faster to changing landscapes. Things will all work out, and I’m grateful to be alive!
