Two years of border unpredictability, expensive flights and the risk of catching Covid and being stuck overseas has meant most young Kiwis have put their OE on the shelf.
But the rite of passage could be back on the cards this year.
Travelling to find oneself
For many young people, the OE is a way to discover more about yourself and what you want from life.
But Covid has reduced the amount of 18– to 30-year-olds departing New Zealand by half.
Last year, just 18,000 chose to head overseas, compared to 40,000 in 2018.
Yet some young New Zealanders are still taking the leap.
Twenty-four-year-old Olivia Ireland moved to Portugal with her partner last year in May.
"Part way through university, I realised all I wanted to do was travel and be overseas. As much as I did enjoy studying, everything I thought I wanted to do just didn't feel right," she said.
Covid complicated travelling plans and Ireland ended up managing a gym and working as a personal trainer in 2020.
"I didn't love it though, so we decided to try and make a life overseas work and now we're just winging it," she said.
However, Ireland and others choosing to depart New Zealand are faced with the risk of an expensive and complicated journey home.
Returning New Zealanders still have to vie for competitive MIQ spots with an expensive cost.
There is no guarantee they can get back into New Zealand.
But for Ireland, the risk was worth it.
"So many people our age feel like they're missing out on all these years of their lives being stuck in New Zealand," she said.
"For me, making the decision to move to Portugal was really hard. I was terrified, especially knowing I wouldn't be able to return to New Zealand anytime soon. But now I'm here, I'm so happy I've come."
Ireland said now she is in Portugal, she does not feel like she is wasting her life anymore and she feels sorry for those in New Zealand still eager to travel.
She said she is hopeful that travellers to New Zealand will be able to self-isolate this year and she can come back and visit.
House of Travel's chief operating officer Brent Thomas said the travel company is seeing an increase in young people's enquiries.
"A number of people are obviously thinking about their OEs having delayed them for the last year. Some others are heading overseas for study. And some are just sick of lockdowns and restrictions and just want to get out and explore," he said.
Thomas said more people are booking trips for this year than were seen 12 months ago.
From House of Travel surveys, nearly 40 per cent of young people are ready to book immediately and nearly 80 per cent are looking to book flights in the next few months.
"Younger people - who often traditionally had booked online – are now seeing the absolute value of a travel agent in these uncertain times with the complexities of travel," he said.
"There is certainly less hesitancy in the younger traveller to book because they feel confident they will be able to move freely overseas and explore the world like they want to."
Watt said the past two years in New Zealand have resulted in a complete career pivot for her.
"I would definitely like to have a job in the outdoors when I eventually move overseas. But if I have to stay in New Zealand a little bit longer, it's not the end of the world because I've found my love in the mountains."
Watt said she has been trying to make the most of these complicated times.
"I'm just going with the flow of things and not thinking about what could have been. Knowing I'll be more financially secure and have a couple of years of work experience under my belt before leaving overseas is reassuring," she said.
"My OE is just delayed, it's not cancelled."
Can't get back home
Tight border restrictions remain a barrier for young people eager to spread their wings and go travelling.
Many worry once out of New Zealand, they won't be able to come home.
McLeay still has tickets for Glastonbury and Hospitality on the Beach, transferred from 2020 to this year.
"I want to still go but I'm concerned with whether that is possible, especially with the world opening up but New Zealand still staying pretty strict," she said.
Closer to home
Some New Zealanders are getting around the border situation by buying a one-way ticket ... with Australia being the first stop.
Twenty-four-year-old Sorana Pandrea took up this opportunity, moving to Melbourne just after Christmas to work as a lawyer. Her partner, also a lawyer, quickly found a job too.
"Travelling would have been more daunting if we were going further than Australia in these times. Going to the UK is much more of a commitment, you can't turn around the next day and come home," she said.
"This takes away the uncertainty of having to save up to travel and then resign because I could work here, get a good reputation and when a position opens up overseas, I could have a job to go to already."
Travelling with a job appeals to McLeay because it means she would get to settle into a community, rather than hop-scotching around.
"You get to integrate more into a place and really experience what it's like to live there," she said.
Now or never
Young people are increasingly eager to make up for lost pandemic time and go travelling.
Travel is also becoming easier with many countries scrapping mandatory quarantine for vaccinated travellers, beckoning those who've paused their OEs.
Ninety-two per cent of those aged 18 to 30 are fully vaccinated and those getting their boosters increases each day, meaning safe travelling is an option.