I have a secret that I’m going to share with you all. Travel. If you can do anything for yourself, it’s going to be to travel, especially before you graduate college. The world is vast and waiting to be explored more and more. Don’t let the worries of college or an internship hold you back from experiencing this amazing planet we’re all lucky enough to live on. But why should you travel while you’re still in school? I’ll fill you in.
1. To get out of your comfort zone
If you’ve only ever stayed in the states you’re not really experiencing the diversity that is out there. While you can still go to different states and get a small taste of what it’s like, it all boils down to the same culture– American. So go travel the world and meet new people and get a taste of how they live.
2. New experiences
What better way to experience something completely new than going to a completely new country? New experiences can give you a different outlook on life and make you appreciate the little things more. If you’re in a slump and need some picking up an adventure should be in the near future for you. New experiences are waiting for you at every corner, you just have to be willing to take them.
3. Broaden yourself culturally
Broadening yourself culturally can benefit you greatly in the future, especially in your work field if you have to deal with people. Being able to understand cultural differences makes you better able to be accepting of other people and can definitely help you interpersonal communication skills to great extents.
4. Become more open minded
Being in a different culture with complete different social norms can be extremely shocking. However, once you get past the culture shock, opening yourself up to a new culture can be exciting and an adventure all on its own. You’ll be in awe of how much you can learn from simply accepting another culture.
5. You’ll be working for the rest of your life
Never again (unless you become a teacher or score a really incredible job) will you ever get a month off at one time. What better time to travel than that? No job and no family of your own to take care of, it’s a definite win-win and no arguing that any other time would be better.
6. You have no other responsibilities
As previously mentioned about work and a family of your own, you’re still in your teens or early 20s, therefore, you don’t all of that responsibility. You’re young, wild, and free, and you should be enjoying every second of that. Go out and experience the world while you can! There’s nothing holding you back but yourself.
7. YOU ARE YOUNG
Yes, you’re young, wild, and free. But our physical and mental state we are currently in allows to take in and try new things. Take a camel ride through Dubai, see the pyramids in Egypt, scuba dive through the Coral Reef, or bungee jump off of (insert name) in Australia. Our physical abilities are incredible and why waste such abilities staying in our comfort zone?
8. New adventures and memories
We live in an age of responsibilities. Since high school graduation we have been thrown responsibility after responsibility. Set out on your own adventure and be responsible for nothing but yourself.
9. More appreciative of where you live
From personal experience, going to a different country with a culture completely different from your own can really make you appreciate where you live more than you could imagine. You might think that your hometown or home state is a bore, but you sure do appreciate the comfortableness and norms when you get back. It even comes down to the food and mannerisms that you’ll end up cherishing.
10. New friends
You never know who you’re going to meet or where you’ll meet them. Whether it’s on the flight or waiting to check in at the hotel, there’s always someone else out there eager to meet others. Even if you feel alone there will always be someone else out there similar to you.
11. You want to live for today
You have the rest of your life to be tied down to something. Go out and adventure while you can. Live for today, and live in the moment. Cherish each adventure you go one, whether it’s on the other side of the world or simply to the state next door. If one piece of advice could be given it’s this- living for today. Forget all of your worries every once in a while and set your mind free.
There’s no greater feeling than getting to experience a new place, and being in our teens and early twenties makes us at the perfect age for all of this. Years from now you’ll be able to look back on all of your adventures and realize how drastically your life has been changed for the better. This our time to broaden our horizons, don't let yourself be hindered.
