Knocking Out New Year's Resolutions: Abating Those Travel Nerves
As a student, you’re expected to do so many things: study hard, get good grades, join extracurriculars, attend events, go to class, network, find internships. And then everybody and their mother tells you to go study abroad. I’m here to present a new perspective on studying abroad. We’ll just call it travel.
The notion of studying abroad (or travelling in general) puts many people on edge, and understandably so. There’s a lot to consider, from expenses to timing, and safety to activities. But instead of getting nervous about travel, get excited.
There are several ways to get excited, depending on what you yourself like. If you like history, look up places with great histories or interesting events that took place there in the past. If it’s architecture that interests you, so many places in the world have beautiful buildings. Whether you like the ocean or farming, or anything at all really, there are places in the world that will make you excited to be in.
Which leads me to my next point. There are an unbelievable amount of activities to do, wherever you go. There are obvious things, like sight-seeing, beach going, tours, museums, sports events. By all means, do those things. They are all great activities, and are always interesting to some degree.
But then there are also the less thought of activities to do, such as finding cafés or lesser known restaurants to eat at, exploring the area, partaking in cultural experiences (whatever they be), and hundreds of others. The point is to get creative, do some research, and get comfortable being uncomfortable. I cannot stress this last point enough. If you can be at ease doing something you’ve never done before, your travel experience will enhance tenfold.
Up to this point in my life, at age 20, I’ve been fortunate to travel to 10 different countries. I can tell you with certainty that if you put yourself out of your comfort zone, you will find new experiences that would never otherwise be possible. Pushing your bounds and trying something new will open your life to rich cultures and people that will almost always give you a new perspective and appreciation for life.
Some of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had, and many other people I know, have been in a different country. It’s hard to develop an appreciation for your life, for what you have, and for who you really are if you’re stuck in the same place your whole life and if you don’t allow yourself to experience new things. For those with New Year’s resolutions to try more things and be more adventurous, travelling is a great way to start taking control of the self-truths we tell ourselves at the beginning of every year.
So I say to those of you who are hesitant on travel, it will allow you to grow as a person and experience new things you never thought possible.