Alma Rex-Ezonfade spent over a year saving up $51,300 to take an "adult gap year." She initially found it difficult to do nothing but learned to enjoy herself and explore new hobbies. She launched her own clothing brand, is applying to 9-to-5 jobs, and plans to take more sabbaticals.
Editor's note: This list was first published in May 2024 and most recently updated on January 2, 2025. Advertisement This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with 31-year-old Alma Rex-Ezonfade based in Toronto, Canada. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
On my 29th birthday, I opened a savings account and put $500 in it. I had told myself that for my 30th birthday, I would gift myself a one-year sabbatical , and this was my first step in making that dream of taking an "adult gap year" a reality. Advertisement I was tired of working and always being on top of things.
I immigrated to Canada from Nigeria when I was 22 for my master's degree and started working right after graduating. It felt like I had been running on a hamster wheel, and I was just going, going, going, going. I calculated my budget for the year Before taking my gap year, I was a customer success manager at Astreya making around 110,000 CAD ($80,500) and a content creator.
Between my 9-to-5 salary and my income from working with brands and doing campaigns, I was making nearly 200,000 CAD ($146,600) a year. I calculated how much I actually needed to save based on my spending at the time. Advertisement For ne.