An interview with Phoebe Bobola (CGS’18, CAS’20)
What was your first reaction to the idea of a gap semester?
I was thinking about how everyone at BU was going to become friends, become involved in the community, have an understanding of college before I did. That was really scary to me to feel like an odd one out. And then when that semester actually came about and my friends actually went to their schools, then it was also, ‘Now I’m watching my really close friends that I just graduated with, out experiencing these new lives without me.’ They all had these shared experiences of being at college and I wasn’t a part of that. And that was my biggest concern– feeling like I wasn’t a part of a community anymore.
How did it end up going for you?
The semester that I had off really helped me lay down the foundation of myself and become more comfortable with who I was as an adult before I made the transition into college. It was interesting being around you and only you for a time. A lot of my friends went to school out of state. I spent a lot of time reflecting, especially because my senior year of high school was just a really difficult year for me and I came out of it deciding that I wanted to be a better person. In that semester off, I was kind of able to find comfort in myself and become more grounded in me–so it actually ended up being helpful.
How did you practice self-reflection during the gap semester?
I definitely did a lot of yoga. I had this board where I would compliment myself, and I would give one thing to improve on, and I would set a goal for myself every day. That way I woke up feeling good about myself but knowing that I can do better, and I saw what I was going to get done today– visually in front of me. I live in Washington State so there are a lot of mountains. I was getting out into nature, getting out and meeting people wherever I could. That really opened up my eyes to who I was and what kind of person I wanted to be.
You mentioned a lot of your friends went out of state during the gap semester, so your relationships with them were changing. What did you learn about relationships and friendship?
It was about keeping busy and staying in contact with people. You don’t really realize how much effort you really need to put into keeping friendships because you just assume, ‘We’re so close, we’re always going to stay together.’ But that’s not really the case when you’re living completely different lives, so you have to really make an effort. That was something I struggled with but got the handle of that first semester. I was able to be there for my friends and I was able to give them the energy that they needed. It was great to be able to keep those relationships strong even though there was a physical distance between us.
What other things did you do during your gap semester?
I worked two jobs, one which was team-based, and one where I took a leadership role so it was just a really nice way of being able to feel out my future and seeing how I interact in those two different kinds of environments. I was a hostess at La Grande Bistro and then I worked at the animal welfare department at the University of Washington.
What did you learn about yourself from those two jobs?
Working at the animal welfare department really highlighted office culture for me especially because I was working with mostly graduate students and adults who were professionals. As a hostess, it was a really great experience for me to introduce myself and for teaching me to communicate with everyone that walks through the door. I’ve always been a pretty “out-there” person but it was something that really helped me when I came to Boston University. In those first few months, you’ve really just got to introduce yourself to everyone and not be worried about it and try to meet as many people you can to find your home here. Working as a hostess really set a precedent for me, of being able to keep that constant energy going .
What advice would you give to students worried about their gap semester?
I think my biggest one is to just take that gap semester and use it to self-reflect, because I feel like when you’re just thrown into college it can be really overwhelming. But if you take a minute to really settle yourself into yourself, then it becomes a lot easier.
—Interview by Alisa Harris