Back in June of 2016, my family was debating on what family vacation to do for my senior trip. We looked at a few different options, but eventually came upon the mother of all trips; a Disney cruise to Norway out of Copenhagen.
The only problem was that it was the same week as my high school graduation, but this trip was my dream trip. I was going to be able to see the Norwegian fjord on the happiest cruise that ever sailed while having a Frozen sing-a-long night with Anna and Elsa. So, after a little bit of thinking, I decided to pursue my love of travel and go to Norway.
When I started to tell people I wasn't going to walk, I received some feedback from peers saying that I would regret this moment for the rest of my life. I was told that high school graduation is one of the most important moments of your life, and what I found out is that for some people, it is.
I have always known I wanted to go on to higher education so I figured I would find another opportunity to walk the stage at least once, if not twice. For a little while after I had committed to my choices and booked the plane tickets, I worried that I would be sad that I didn't walk, but the moment I got on that plane to Germany I knew that I was exactly where I needed to be.
I have always had a love for travel, so going on this trip was an exciting moment for me; but, there are a few things I have always wanted see. One of those locations is a concentration camp. When I found out we were going to be so close to Germany, I knew that we needed to go down and visit a memorial site.
That was such an important time in our history, and I wanted to see that. That one day we spent at Dachau was worth every moment I missed at graduation. It was the most impactful moment in my life. Being able to be in the area where these horrific actions took place will change your life forever, and it is something I believe every person needs to see at least once in their lifetime. It was well worth the trip.
Later that week, we headed out to Copenhagen, Denmark which is my favorite city in the world. I love the culture, the people, and most importantly, the food. This time was different because I got to be there with some of my favorite people in the world. I was with my best friend on his graduation day, and then he was with me on mine. It was what I wanted to do, not what everyone else wanted me to do.
What I want you to take away from this story is that other people don't know what is best for you, only you know that. I was happy being where I was, and to this day I don't regret a thing.
In life, there will always be people around you telling you what to do. Whether it's a career path, who you should hang out with, or even what book you should read next, someone will always have an opinion on the matter. Don't listen to them. Do what your gut says.
