text: Even people who "bum around" gain experience for the world of work.  What did you learn during this year?  How to live on little money, how to get around living on your own wits, how to relate to other poeple.  Why did you take the year off?  To gain experience in a different type of living, to broaden your horizons, to help your sister organise her wedding etc etc.  Don't lie, just exagerate and make it sound as if you did this to gain something, to achieve some personal goal.  Don't say you have "grown up" or want to start a new" as these phrases sound like they come from a loser.  And don't as one answer said invent a job, you'll get caught out, believe me I have years of interview experience.