Summer break means a practically endless stream of vacation pictures. From traveling to other countries to simply traveling an hour’s drive away, there are pictures and stories galore filled with everyone’s new adventures. People travel with their families, friends, loved ones and even pets. This is something that I think is very important. Taking advantage of opportunities to travel, especially with your best friends, is something that everyone should do at every chance they get. Traveling when you are young is also an opportunity that should always be taken, because you may not get the same type of experiences at a later point in your life. As per usual, the issue of money comes up. It’s true that young people have a smaller “vacation fund;" however, I think that it is more than worth it to take practically any necessary measures to be able to go on as many trips and adventures as possible.

And this is why…..

1. Because why not?

The most common and obvious answer as to why it is important to travel with your best friends when you are young is because you can. There are far fewer things tying you down and taking up your time. Generally, young people have fairly simple jobs, as opposed to careers, and are not married with kids. This frees up a significant amount of time and makes leaving home for long periods of time much simpler.

2. Because there’s no one better.

Who else can you make complete fools of yourselves with and still have the absolute time of your life? Best friends are good for making even mundane things fun and not really caring about being put in potentially awkward situations. Going to new places and living in new cultures is something that only a best friend could make seem like second nature. Also, they will always have your back, so it’s kind of like having a personal bodyguard with you at all times….

3. Because YOLO!

When I decided on the topic of traveling with your best friends, I immediately texted my two best friends and asked if they had any ideas regarding the subject. One friend responded, “Because YOLO.” I laughed and said, “Seriously though, any ideas?” But then, I thought about that answer. YOLO, while not really given as a serious answer, is not a bad reason. I mean, taken for its true meaning, you really do only have one chance to live a life as full of adventure and memories as possible, and there is no better way to find endless adventures and make the best memories possible than exploring new places with some of your favorite people.

I think that everyone should take full advantage of opportunities to travel anywhere with their best friends, especially when they are young enough to do so freely.