John Bussey

John is a NOLS hiking instructor and the program director at YMCA Camp St. Croix in Hudson, Wisconsin. He grew up in the Middle East and spent the year in between high school and college working with youth and climbing in South America. He believes he would almost certainly have a boring job behind a desk somewhere if not for that year in between high school and college.

What position do you hold at NOLS and why do you like working there?

I’m a hiking course leader; I love fly-fishing in the Wind River Range. Honestly, there is not much better in the world.

How does your organization differ from other ones in the industry?

The best thing that NOLS has going for it is it’s staffing model. By offering a course a year to those who are able to work, NOLS keeps its most experienced staff in the organization and assures that instructors are fresh every time they head into the field. Seriously, the staff who teach NOLS courses are the best in the world and are excited to be doing what they’re doing.

What is one common misconception about taking a gap year?

A major misconception is that gap years set you back in some way. This is absolutely untrue. It allows you space to actually think about what college will do for you. I had so many friends in college who were unfocused and ended up wasting time figuring out what they wanted to get out of school. Gap years virtually assure that you don’t waste time.