Going away to a faraway place is not for everyone. Many people enjoy familiarity and stability. There is a comfort that comes with routine and structure, knowing just about how each day will go and what is coming next. However, it seems like those who are just out of high school or college, like me, want to go out and experience the world. This particular age group seeks out new places to see. We prefer road trips, studying abroad, or just vacationing. I mean, have you checked out Instagram lately? It’s all about who went where this summer and what did they do. But, why?

1. Traveling is a way to escape responsibility.

Once you go away to a new place, it’s like your daily life is just nonexistent for a while. You get away from work and school and other things tying you down. By immersing yourself in another world, you forget your own. This is appealing to young people, as we have just stepping into adulthood -- and it’s overwhelming.

2. Traveling helps you learn who you are.

As we are scrambling to figure out what to do with our lives, anything that would help show us who we are is appealing. By learning about other cultures, and by experiencing the lives of other people, you can really learn more about your own values and way of life. You build confidence by trying new things, and this helps mold you.

3. Traveling young is much easier than traveling later in life.

With the hustle and bustle of work, family and living in general, it is hard to make time later in life to go out and travel. It’s easy to get so caught up in all of the aspects of running a household and managing a career that you forget to go out and be adventurous. Before diving into that lifestyle, it’s nice to travel around and try new things.

4. Traveling grows your independence.

Let’s face it, many young people, although they may be doing some things on their own, are not independent. It is hard to step out into the real world and find yourself. It is difficult to break away from your support system and to support yourself, however we all have to do it at some point. By traveling, you are put in a situation where you must take care of yourself, and really make your own choices. It is a lot of work to get a passport, raise money to go, actually make the trek out there and push yourself out of your comfort zone. This builds independence and teaches you a lot.

5. Traveling is readily available for young people.

There are so many opportunities for young people to travel. Many programs are available for you to try out, and there are many ways to get funding. For example, this summer I went on the USF in London Program, and through the generous help of many USF organizations and sponsors, I only ended up paying for my plane ticket there. There is a way to go as a young person, you just have to look for it!

6. Traveling helps us to remember how much we love home.

Being away from family and friends for a while is a good way to learn how much you love them. As you go about each new experience, you are constantly wishing so-and-so could be there too. You are able to get away, and learn on your own, but it also is important to remember those at home who miss you!

7. Traveling teaches us to love new people.

Now granted I’ve only been two places out of the country, but each time my heart has become open to the people in each place. When you travel, you meet some incredible and extremely unique people who it is so easy to fall in love with. From the precious children in Nicaragua, to the interesting locals of London, I have learned that my heart has so much compassion for the people in this world.

There are so many perks to experiencing this beautiful world around us, and there is a lot of value to young people taking the step to travel.