Summer has officially come and gone. The neighborhood pool is closing up, your beach towel is being put away, the temperature outside is slowly dropping, and next year’s summer plans are already being made. Should you take the summer classes that you have been putting off for so long? Should you apply for the internship that your career advisor has been telling you about? Whatever you have planned already, I have a better idea. Travel.

I’m not talking about a road trip to New York or a quick flight to California, where the scenery may change but the currency is the same. I am telling you to buy a plane ticket, go overseas, and prepare for one of the greatest experiences you will ever have. Usually, this suggestion is met with complaints about a lack of time and money, but I can assure you that traveling to another country is the greatest investment that you could ever make.

In your time abroad, you will gain more knowledge and understanding of the world than you ever could in a classroom. This knowledge will humble you and help you realize your place in the world. What did I know about the history of Prague until I traveled to the Czech Republic and saw the historic Wenceslas Square and the haunting Old Jewish Cemetery? How did I appreciate the works of the Impressionists before I went to the Musée d’Orsay and observed every brush stroke making up some of Monet’s most important works? How could I return to my American routine after experiencing the laid-back lifestyle of the Spaniards or the unmatched food culture of the Italians? By removing ourselves from what is familiar, we are able to gain a new perspective on the world and our place in it. Experiencing a new place with its own culture and history leads to the realization that there is so much more than what we experience in our comfortable, day-to-day routines. Perhaps the American way is not always the best way. Maybe there is more to life than landing that well-paying nine-to-five office job.

In addition to the knowledge you gain of the world around you, traveling also entails a bit of self-discovery. By putting yourself in an unfamiliar place, you face new challenges, which reveal things about yourself that you may not have discovered otherwise. After seeing the Mediterranean Sea with my very own eyes, I realized that, maybe, I don’t hate the ocean after all. After hang gliding through the Swiss Alps, I found out that I am more of a risk-taker than I previously thought. After navigating through crowded Parisian metro stations and dizzying Venetian alleyways, I learned that I am quite good at following directions. After having to completely rearrange my travel plans due to a pesky German train strike, I came to understand that everything works out in the end. You may encounter stressful problems and awkward situations, but those are the times when you make the best of what you’ve got and grow from it. You gain confidence and experience. You begin to find happiness in the most unlikely place: outside of your comfort zone.

I could go on and on about what makes travel so worthwhile, but I’ll stop here and remind you to reevaluate what you have planned for next summer. Use your time wisely while you have it. You won’t have much vacation time once you’re committed to a 40 hour work week. Travel now, while you still have the chance. Make connections with people that touch your heart and offer you a place to stay on your future travels. Collect touristy photographs which you can share shamelessly on Instagram every #TBT for the rest of your life. Gather memories that will make you laugh and cry, often at the same time. Gain experiences that contribute to the best summer you could ever have and to the best life you could ever live.