Adult Gap Year

La Jolla Cove: an awesome open water swimming playground

After much soul-searching, deep thought, and the desire to pursue my dreams, I will be moving to La Jolla. I said these words in 1988 during my first visit to San Diego. After spending the past few days visiting family and swimming in La Jolla Cove, I said them again. 

Surveying La Jolla from the 1/4 Mile Buoy

Why La Jolla?

• Warm water 
• Ocean views
• Awesome weather 
• Laid back San Diego vibes
• Local family

While we don't plan on moving anytime soon, we have been thinking about adventures and what we would do if we took a year off. As we prepare to become empty nesters, we are ready for a new level of excitement. Thus, the gap year. We earned it. We worked hard. We led responsible lives. WE ARE READY. Sure, a few minor details remain, like getting the last kid through high school and college. However, we can taste our approaching freedom. 

Some young adults take a gap year to experience life and find themselves. When I finished high school, I went to college, not even taking a gap day other than the weekend between the last day of my summer job and the first day of freshman orientation. When I finished college, my then girlfriend, soon to be fiancee, and ultimately most awesome wife and I took a trip to the east coast. When we returned, I started my first job. Technically, those were my gap weeks. 

While I'm not having a mid-life crisis, I am in the middle of a mid-life evolution. I write (thus this blog). I study business psychology. I'm learning to become an open water swimmer. All worthy and meaningful pursuits. Are these things enough? No. 

If we did take our gap year, what would we do? Where would we go? How could we make the experience fulfilling?

Perhaps the answers to these and many more questions would be discovered during our gap year. 

La Jolla Shores Sunset