Helping local NGOs, creating intercultural contacts with people who share your interests, and learning a new language are just a few of the numerous ways a gap year may benefit your life. Boosting your résumé and making lifelong friendships will generate even more opportunities, which will not only help you find a fulfilling profession but will also build a more tolerant attitude toward life and the people in it. Many of those who take gap years go on to work in social work, conservation, and nonprofit organizations.