Let's All Just Drop Out And Travel | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Let's All Just Drop Out And Travel

Experiential learning is the best learning.

12
Let's All Just Drop Out And Travel
Datekoupdatekar.com

My junior year of high school I had the opportunity to go on a spectacular adventure. But, like most things, it came with a choice. My mom came to me and told me, "You have the opportunity to go to London for two weeks, but you will miss school for two weeks." I know what you're thinking, when you get a parent telling you that you can skip class for 14 whole days and galavant around Europe, you go. But it's not that easy.

Two weeks of class is a lot to make up. So much homework. I would risk failing some of my upper-level classes. After considering the pros and cons more closely it became a much harder decision to make. As we are both in the future, I'll let you know what happened. I decided to go. Let me tell you why. I believe, fundamentally, that experiences trump education in nine cases out of 10. The worldliness travel provides is infinitely more valuable than the book driven education. After all, the object of our education is not to teach what to think, but rather to teach young minds how to think.

One of the best ways to improve the "thinking" capability in students is to give them perspective. This is why we have "core" classes. We teach everyone the key subjects, language, mathematics, science, and history, so that they are rounded. Exposing them to a variety of subjects and experiences allows them to improve their judgement and analytical skills. There is a limit at how much this can be taught in a classroom. Books are wonderful learning tools, however, they have their limitations.

This is where life experience comes in. When we reach the limit at which the classroom can no longer add to a student's perspective, they must have real world adventures. Adventuring is learning. Living in a way contrary to how one normally lives is learning. We must expose ourselves to the foreign, to the unfamiliar, and in that we find out who we are.

Imagine you are a small, purple, paper doll. You are set in a purple paper box. You could live your entire life not knowing where your purple paper doll self ended and your purple paper box home began. All you would know would be purple. I was that paper doll. So when my mother asked me if I'd like to be in a pink paper box for a little while, how could I say no?

I'm not advocating traveling instead of education. Although, if that is fiscally possible, maybe I am. However, I am saying that perhaps we need to look at how we value our experimental learning. It is a gift. It is what truly rounds a person. Because really, why only know purple when there's a rainbow of boxes out there.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

2431
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

1456
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

200703
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

21220
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments