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If you're taking a year off, put yourself in completely different environment. If you just do something at your dad's office or in your own school, it will almost certainly be too safe.

A year off needs to be well planned and really challenging, something that promises to fill in some of the blanks in your skills and experiences. What a waste if it's just a year-long party before university.

It's so easy to get caught up in rushing off to become an adult - to become a chemical engineer or whatever it is you've got your eyes set on. But you'll have 50 years of that. There's so much pressure to do extremely well all of the time, and agonise about which university and which career. Don't be afraid to take time off: 3 months or a year; why not two years if you really know how to use them? You've probably been working for 13 years of schooling, or several years of a job; so have the confidence to step back and take a look.

Try working abroad for at least a few months rather than just travelling, because work exposes you to other cultural ideas on how to live daily life, allows you to experiment with other sides of your personality, and presents you with character-building problems.

A year off is unlikely to be useful or enjoyable unless you specifically plan for it to be so.

Work abroad and learn the language to fluency. These will be two huge assets in your skills-portfolio. You'll become increasingly independent, and be exposed to new cultures and values. All this will make you much more versatile in your working and personal life.

Don't limit your learning in life to learning from those around you in your immediate world. Reach out to learn from as far afield as you can. Books, newspapers, and the web can bring the world to your bedside table. But so can a pair of walking boots and a compass!