One of the most amazing things about being young and having the ability to travel is all the experience I have gained. I have learned to navigate airports, train stations (both Amtrak and local), roads, and even instruct others of where to take me. Despite being directionally challenged, I have learned to become an adequate navigator.

Plus, I have also learned to love to travel on my own. I have taken trips home from school or to visit family and have come to appreciate the calm I have while traveling before the storm. I reflect on my experiences while traveling and I have become forever grateful for my choices.

I have been abroad and national, and there are hundreds, even thousands. of experiences I wish I could share with others. I wish I could relive my journeys (but money is always a stickler). I take hundreds of pictures to document trips that have shaped me. Traveling when young has given me the ability to cherish the adventures I have been fortunate enough to have.

When you are young and travel, you don’t have to (usually) worry about paying for someone else to take the same trip. When else can you get to go to Italy for only $3500? (I did at the end of my sophomore year). While in college or as a young adult, you can bum rides off of others or contribute to a group trip that gives you the ability to take many trips.

When you travel by yourself (or with a small group), you can decide where you want to go! You don’t have to worry about pleasing your spouse, children, or family. I travel with my forensics team at school and have been to countless places (including Minnesota) that I haven’t been before. Instead of traveling with your normal group of friends or family, you get to travel with a group of people that have a completely different perspective than you’re used to. The conversations, food, and experiences are totally different than what you’re used to.

When you travel, you learn so much about the places you go. You can take notes or you can just enjoy the ride. You come back and tell your friends and family about your adventures and they are more than impressed. Each time you travel somewhere, you gain something new.

You meet people. Even if they don’t speak the same language or slang, you can still relate to people all across the world. When you travel, you share experiences with them, either while dining in their restaurant, visiting a site where they work, or asking for directions in passing.

Taking advantages of adventures when you’re young is like no other. No obligations, no stress (business trip-wise), no pressure. You simply get to be-- something that becomes far less common as we continue to grow up.

When I was abroad, it was magical to see how other cultures acted and reacted--the Italians drove like no one else was on the road (even though they were bumper-to-bumper). The touristy areas were very "flashy" (to attract American tourists, of course). The wine was so cheap, but so savory--wine was used to celebrate moments instead of getting drunk or abused (as in the party culture). Life was special there; the Italians helped me realized that everything became special if you tried hard enough.