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Sample Itineraries

Looking for inspiration for your gap year? Browse a selection of itineraries from a few current Duke students. As you’ll see, some students engage in one activity or program for most or all of the year, whereas others incorporate multiple experiences into their plans.

If you need more ideas, check out the DGYP blog and Instagram.

And remember: no two gap years are alike; plan the year that’s right for you!

Full-Year Experiences

Emmie ’27

Hometown: Vail, CO

Anticipated major: History and Economics

Gap year experiences: 

  • Aug.-Apr.: Dancing and performing pre-professionally at State Street Ballet, a ballet in Santa Barbara and working part time a restaurant in Santa Barbara
  • Apr.-May: Traveled through Europe
  • May-Aug.: Worked at non-profit at home and intern for the Vail Dance Festival

About Emmie’s gap year: “The main reason I was inspired to take a gap year was because it provided an opportunity for me to focus on dancing without the distraction of school and other extracurriculars. It was an awesome opportunity to lean into my artistry and taking the time to explore the dance world.”

What Emmie learned: “My gap year was a great learning experience, especially learning how to react to things when they don’t go as expected and how to be independent but also how to be alone. It was also a great time to reflect on myself as a person as opposed to a student which provided a healthy outlook when I did head back to school.”

Natasha ’28

Hometown: Miami, FL

Anticipated major: Statistical Science

Gap year experience: National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) Academic Year Program in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Activities included: Intensive Mandarin language study in Kaohsiung Taiwan, including a family homestay; participation in cultural activities and excursions; travel; and community service.

What Natasha learned: “During my gap year, I learned resilience, independence, and consistency while discovering the significance of building cross-cultural connections. This experience helped me develop a stronger sense of self, embrace my failures, celebrate my successes, and, most importantly, cherish the journey and the value of each moment—lessons that proved invaluable as I transitioned to Duke.”

Multiple Experiences in One Year

John ’28

Hometown: Summit, NJ

Anticipated major: Marine Biology (pre-med track)

Gap year experiences: 
  • Sept.-Oct.: Wilderness EMT School in Lander, Wyoming with NOLS
  • Oct.-Dec.: Live in Costa Rica with a host family, take Spanish classes, and volunteer in a
    nursing home with Máximo Nivel
  • Jan.-Apr.: Work on a volunteer ambulance at home
  • Apr.-June: Live in Kenya and intern in a hospital with African Impact; on the weekends go hiking and explore the country
  • June-July: Live in Zanzibar, conduct Marine biology research, and volunteer on local conservation efforts with African Impact

About John’s gap year: “My gap year was focused on volunteering and gaining experience in the field of medicine. Everything I did had some sort of medical component. From getting my Wilderness EMT in Wyoming to helping deliver babies in Kenya, I learned a lot about medicine and gained lots of hands-on experience. In addition to medicine, I was able to travel and explore the world, see amazing natural landscapes, and make meaningful connections with people from all over the world.”

What John learned: “During my gap year, I learned resilience, independence, and consistency while discovering the significance of building cross-cultural connections. This experience helped me develop a stronger sense of self, embrace my failures, celebrate my successes, and, most importantly, cherish the journey and the value of each moment—lessons that proved invaluable as I transitioned to Duke.”

Sam ’28

Hometown: London, UK

Anticipated major: Economics (B.S.), with a minor in French and a certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Gap year experiences:

  • Sept.-Nov.: Internship in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam,
  • Dec.-Feb.: Internship in Singapore
  • Mar.-Apr.: Stayed in London/traveled with family
  • May-June: Internship in Paris, France

Activities included: Did internships in Vietnam, Singapore, and Paris; traveled to 11 different countries; connected with family I hadn’t met before; got my driver’s license; raced in a triathlon; went surfing and scuba diving; visited my brother and friends at university.

What you learned from your gap year: “I gained a lot of independence during the gap year, fending for myself in the office, planning various trips, and researching opportunities. I also gained a healthy mindset of just putting myself out there and taking risks, which has helped me succeed during my first semester at Duke.”

Victoria ’28

Hometown: Barcelona, Spain

Anticipated majors: Political Science and Statistical Science

Gap year experiences:

  • Aug.-Dec.: Interning at the Spanish Council for Refugee aid, helping run school-based NGO, learning how to rock climb, and working as a math tutor, getting my rescue diving certification in Barcelona
  • Jan.: Take French lessons while in mountain ski town in France for two weeks
  • Feb.-Mar.: NOLS, Roadtripping and backpacking in New Zealand
  • Mar.: Travel around Melbourne and Sydney, Australia while visiting friends for 10 days
  • Apr.: Stay in hostel while in Mandarin program for two weeks
  • Apr.-May: Meet up with and travel with friends in Japan for a few weeks!
  • June: Stay at home in Barcelona during summer, work
  • July-Aug.: Move back to the states
About Victoria’s gap year: “I really wanted to get outdoors and into the ‘real world’ during my gap year. For work, I was involved in three separate NGOs while at home and as a math tutor. In my free time, I scuba dived, hiked, climbed, and skied wherever I could! Then I took off solo traveling through Australasia for three months, hitting five different countries. Finally, I came back home to prepare to go to college.”

What Victoria learned:
“My gap year was all about getting out of my comfort zone! Whether through trying out new work experiences, learning how to be independent, or living outdoors for a month straight, every piece of my year taught me something about myself.”