Gap Year Help

I plan to attend university of Toronoto’s track one engineering program but I would really like to take a gap year. This has been on my mind since sophomore year for all the right reasons. I want to gain work expierence, further develop academic passions of mine, explore my deep passion of world travel and gain a broader perspective before heading off to college. I feel if I didn’t take some time off I’d either burn out or feel as though I’ve cheated myself out of my true passions. The problem is my parents are very down on this idea and believe I will never go to college, are afraid to let me travel and that it will be the biggest mistake of my life. I understand my parents opinion and that they are only doing so based upon what they truly see as best but I’m confident in my desire to take some time off. Any advice you could offer me in making and convincing my parents of this decidion would be greatly appreciated.

It’s not a weird thing, some of my friends did it and no one got mad (their parents were rather happy apart from slight safety concerns). Also the schools are apparently quite chill as long as you explain with enough detail of what you’ll be doing…that’s all I have to say. Good luck!