Lately I have been in a mood of uneasiness. It’s a mix of things. Between the bitter cold, and my recent internet problems, I have been on edge. It’s a shame how dependent humanity has become on electricity. While most of the things we use for electricity are amazing, the ones we get more addicted to are the things we can live without.
It is important to keep an imagination among the technology of today. Many lose their ability to be a child, all because they let a video game or a television show create their imagination for them. Unplugging is what we as humans need on occasion, to really connect with our souls. When we do this, we have the ability to see things in a different light. This is what inspired me to write this article. Me being without internet for a good portion of the month, has rekindled old dreams of mine, and has fueled my agonizing wanderlust.
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When things like this happen, I take a trip to the library. No, not for the free Wi-Fi, but for the books. There is something warming about the smell of a library. The old books, with their smell of history and age, and the smell of coffee brewing in the café just down stairs. Smells are a pivotal part in recalling happy memories. For me, the smell of a library reminds me of all of the trips I use to take as a child. Going to old museums was the highlight of my summers, and because I got older and busier, the summer trips ceased.
At first, I didn’t notice how much I missed the traveling. I was so busy, it didn’t dawn on me that the missing piece I felt in my heart, was because I wasn’t traveling. When I started college, things started to slow down. My wanderlust grew out of my control, and making plans to go abroad became a daily thing. The only problem was that, in my time of brash decisions, I began to neglect my responsibilities and this sent me into a depression.
I tried everything to feed my wanderlust. But no matter what I did, it never seemed to help. My worst enemy became the Travel Channel, and I could tell that my parents were getting annoyed at my never-ending talk of big dreams. This wasn’t just affecting me, it was affecting everyone around me. I needed to find a way to feed my wanderlust, and I needed a way fast.
I decided that there were things at home that I had never discovered before. There was an entire lifetime of history that I had taken for granted, but had never taken the time to explore. This is where I began to wander. What some would title aimlessly, I would title brilliantly. I took advantage of my student title, and I went everywhere that a student ID got me a discount.
Even though the recent snow, and soon to be more snow, has halted this, I take advantage whenever I can. Being a university student comes with so many perks that many students know nothing about. For example, when the Terracotta Warriors were at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, I got in for only five bucks. I got in for free on a Sunday, because I had a student ID, and I only had to pay five dollars for the extra exhibit ticket. Being able to see a piece of world history, at such an amazing price, made me grateful that the community went out of their way to accommodate students of higher education.
So with that, I leave you with this. Wanderlust is a nagging, yet beautifully inspiring feeling. It can leave you anxious or it can leave you satisfied. Even if you can’t go to China, or to Paris, there are things in your backyard that can feed your wanderlust. Even if it is a simple trip to the library. Like J.R.R Tolkien said, “Not all those who wander are lost.” This is the truest quote to ever be written, and from one of the best books that can describe what one feels when they experience wanderlust.
