I took a gap year to travel the world between high school and college. Time abroad helped me be more prepared for college life.

The author went to Africa during her gap year. Courtesy of Ashleigh N. DeLuca When I was 17, I took a gap year and traveled to Gambia, Namibia, and Ecuador. The trip taught me practical skills, like budgeting and time management. I'm now encouraging my sisters to take gap years before college as well. After spending two months watching women and girls fetch water from the village tap and then walk home with the enormous containers balanced on their heads, I had become increasingly determine...