Last year, five Menlo students took a gap year. Who knows what the figure will be this year, but taking a gap year is a growing phenomenon at Menlo. To follow up on a description of Coco and Elena Gray’s gap year experience, we’ve decided to launch “The Gap Year Chronicles.” Today’s gapper: David Roy. Photo courtesy of David Roy.

By Ellie Lieberman

David Roy deferred admission from Duke University in order to pursue a gap year. Why did he set out on the year away from school? It was a combination of support from parents, a burning passion and a place of interest.

Roy credits his parents for inspiring to take a gap year. However, it was sort of a last minute decision. Once he was admitted to Duke regular decision, Roy decided to research a gap year. “I also talked to my siblings and people who hadn’t taken a gap year and overwhelmingly people were like, “Gap year is a great idea,” Roy said. “With the heavy recommendation of my parents, I took a gap year.”

When deciding how to fill his time, Roy decided on a mixture of travel and work. For the fall semester, he went on a three month trip to Indonesia through Where There Be Dragons. “I chose WTBD because of my past experience and Indonesia specifically because I wanted to go somewhere in Asia because I haven’t gone there and basically have no reason to go there in the future,” Roy said.

Overall, Roy had an extremely positive experience in Indonesia. “The trip to Indonesia was primarily focused on language studies, cultural immersion and then traveling,” Roy said. Other highlights included visiting coral reefs, getting to know the 11 other students on his trip and being unplugged. Roy hopes to stay in touch with many of the friends he made on the trip.

During the spring, Roy will pursue biochemical related lab work at Stanford. “I’m not 100% sure what I want to major in right now. I’d either want to do biochem and econ or medical engineering. So that’s an opportunity to get some practical experience in what I would be doing in the future,” Roy said. Roy is especially excited for this because this lab holds high regards. “Because it’s a gap year, there’s no competition for those positions, so it’s easy to get internships and jobs that would be much more difficult in the summer,” Roy said. For the remainder of the year, Roy will either continue lab work or travel participate in another immersion program.

“If there’s some things you want to do and really have any time in the future, then I think it’s a really valuable opportunity,” Roy said of a gap year. Although Roy did have a bit of “Fear of Missing Out” seeing his Menlo friends enjoying college, he’s very happy with his decision. “It’s a really cool opportunity when you’re young,” Roy said.