Seeing as I'm about to go on my first vacation of the summer, I thought I would share what I think to be five of the best and most important reasons to travel.

1. See the sights

Everywhere you go, there is something to see, whether it's a monument, a historic site, or just a beautiful city or landscape.

2. Try new foods

I love trying new foods! Different places have their own diets and ways of cooking or preparing food. Just remember, your favorite food now was once something you'd never tasted before.

3. Try new things in general

Unique environments, including people and places, make for various popular activities or rituals that might be fun.

4. Encounter new cultures

Learn about the way other people live and how other countries and cultures do things. Knowledge often leads to better understanding.

5. Gain perspective

It's amazing how much you can learn to appreciate your life or learn how to improve it from every experience you have and all the people and cultures you expose yourself to.

My mom has always encouraged being a well rounded person, and through traveling, I have finally begun to understand what she means. I think that the more you learn about other cultures, the more clearly you can see your own, including its advantages, its faults and simply how it differs from others, which means you can work towards bettering it. The more new experiences you have, the more opportunities you have for stumbling upon ways of bettering your life, whether it's learning a new tasty recipe or adopting a new way of thinking or a new perspective.