From a very young age, traveling has been a large part of my life. At the age of 5 I went to the most entertaining place for a little girl: Disney World. I met my favorite characters, rode all of the typical rides you could think of, and went to the nearest beach. Growing up, all of my best memories come from experiencing new places, and meeting new people. Thankfully, I was blessed with parents who also loved seeing new places. Every summer we would go somewhere new as a family. Whether it be one state over, or an island in the middle of the ocean, we would tackle these new places as a family and make life long memories that would change us forever. Little did I know, this would create a never ending urge for me to go new places.
Growing up in a small town truly teaches you what it's like to call a place home. Knowing every single person in your graduating class, waving to people as you drive by, and always having people check up on you are just a few of the nice things about living in a close small town, such as the one I grew up in. However, as we came upon our senior year, it dawned on me how many people would probably stay in (or near) our hometown for the rest of their lives. This is absolutely fine. Let me repeat, absolutely fine. In no way would I ever discourage staying in your hometown because well, it's home! However, moving states away from home at 18 really does give you a different perspective.
I truly feel that we live in a world where people are afraid to get out of their comfort zone. Which I know we can all admit (myself included) that we are guilty of. Over the past year, I've gone to new places with friends and my siblings that I paid for and funded myself. Obviously the biggest issue when it comes to traveling is money. However, if you have the urge to go somewhere, save up and go. In my opinion, traveling isn't about living this luxurious life you see on social media and in movies. It's truly immersing yourself into something new, and learning from the people around you. The whole point of traveling in my eyes, is to see the world and life from a new perspective.
Life is so short. I strongly encourage anyone who has a single touch of wanderlust to act on it, and make it happen. To my fellow high school/college students. This is it. This is the time in our lives where we experience the most freedom we will ever have. Enjoy it. Don't be afraid to uproot your life and move somewhere new. You'll thank yourself, trust me. If you want to take that European trip you've always wanted to take, save up your money, sacrifice that Starbucks you buy four days a week, and go.
At the end of the day, life is truly what you make it. You can either talk about wanting to see new things and experiencing new things, or you can just get out and do it. It doesn't have to be an elaborate trip to the Caribbean, or a month long trip around the world. It can simply be a road trip to a new state. No matter where you dream of going. Don't hesitate. Enjoy the journey, because you won't have this small amount of responsibilities forever. Youth doesn't last forever, make the most of it.
