Required Goof Off Period

You should goof off more. Better said, you should have a period of required goof-off activity.

I have written before about how "gap years don't exist," but in reality, they do. The crux of my previous article was that we should see our lives as a continual stream of experience rather than just a series of contrived timelines. While it is technically true that the timelines we are exposed to are contrived, they are our lived experience, whether we like it or not. So basically, get over it and get with the timelines. However, I want to argue that this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, if you manage to goof off before starting on one.

I define goofing off as something that is not related to a larger goal in one's life, but is enjoyable and not too difficult

Examples of goofing off include messing around with an instrument, drawing doodles, going for a walk, joking with a friend, going on a weekend trip, taking pictures with no intention to profit off of them, being a bedroom DJ, dancing at a nightclub, taking a "useless gap year."

While these activities are all different, they are all related in the sense they are done solely for pleasure and are not going towards anything. See, if you were practicing drawing or playing an instrument, preparing for a marathon, working on your standup, or doing a master's program, these would all be in an effort of a larger goal, thus not goofing off.

Some of the problems I have with gap years is that they are too pre-professional. Some people take a post-college gap year to study for an exam or do lots of courses related to their future profession, and while this is a commendable activity, it is surely not a gap year. A gap year (6 months, 3 months, whatever) should be one where you just goof off, have fun, do something wacky, and explore things by yourself (your girlfriend/boyfriend tagging along doesn’t count either. You gotta be lonely sometimes!).

Modern adult life kinda sucks. Having children is increasingly expensive and difficult, there is a looming threat of an AI takeover, and there is just a general post ~2016~ vibe shift that has taken place which made everyone kinda on edge and a bit insufferable. That being said, not being an adult is just more terrible.

On my trip/gap year, I have seen many examples of travel writers who post no blogs, DJs who play no gigs, and artists who make no paintings. These people are not really bohemians or creators, they are just afraid to bite the bullet, settle, and embrace the suck of being a fully functioning adult. They are not going against the curve, exploring themselves, or anything noble. It’s just the fear of growing up. The thing is that the suck is actually quite nice if you lean into it. All cities are basically the same, with the exception of the top 5 which are too expensive anyway, you can read books or take nature walks anywhere, and if you’re in the West you probably live a pretty safe and comfortable life.

So where does this leave the gap year? The gap year (sabbatical if you take it in the middle of your career) is a time where you can responsibly postpone life while goofing off and then re-enter real life to really become a functioning adult.

There are a few considerations with a required goof-off time:

1. It has to be temporary. You can’t goof off forever, give yourself a set amount of time. For me, it was 6 months.

2. You should be doing something scary and interesting. Staying in your hometown and working at a coffee shop is not a gap year. That is just having a job.

3. You shouldn’t be stupid. Don’t go to a war zone and be a photographer for your gap year, or anything on that level of danger.

4. Your goofing off should at least contribute to your general sense of personhood. My teaching won’t directly affect my career, but it was fun, a bit stressful, and made me a better person.

5. Take lots of photos. This will most likely be your last time in total freedom, live it, capture it, and most of all savor it every second.

All of these points build on each other and keep the others in check.

“Yes! I’ll do something interesting, I’ll volunteer to collect snake venom in the rainforest!”

Sorry, see point 3.

"But this seems like so much fun! I want to do this forever!”

Sorry, see point 1.

“Great, this is a good excuse to play video games and watch TikTok in my house.”

Sorry, one last time, see points 2 and 4.

To reiterate, I don’t think that gap years really exist exist. Like most things, they are a social construction, but them being socially constructed doesn’t mean they aren’t real in terms of affecting your life. So, if you are of the age of 21-23, just graduated college, just finished high school, or survived your 2-year investment program, consider taking some required goof-off time, your future self will thank you for the adventures.

If any prospective employers that are reading this: My time in Georgia added a lot of value to my ability to deliver knowledge and value to my students, just like how I will add value to your company.

To everyone else: My time in Georgia was the time I became a full human, it was fun, annoying, scary, lazy, stressful, boring, exciting, loud, quiet, social, lonely, joyous, tragic, and purely temporary. It was an enigma wrapped in a paradox that not only made me who I am today but has no doubt made me a better person. I found my soul in Georgia, and that is priceless.

So, do yourself a favor and goof off more.

James Kettle