Traveling and exploring new places is honestly one of my favorite pastimes, and its become a huge part of how I live my life. Having parents that live in two different states have always been a little bit of an adventure for me, and I've seen and experienced a lot going back "home" and other places. Experiencing new places could mean going to a completely different country or new city, or even a coffee shop you haven't been to yet. And why not live a life where you allow yourself to open up to new places or a new mindset, and allow yourself to grow? We're human, and we feed off of new interactions or by observing how other people live their lives or what they might do thats different than us. It's interesting, and I personally crave meeting new people and having a good time going wherever with them. It can build communication skills, open your eyes to unfamiliar places, and create the best friendships. Some of my closest friends I have met in crazy places and we just kept talking and hanging out in more crazy places. Being spontaneous about going somewhere is honestly the best part, because you don't know whats gonna happen and thats exciting! You don't know who you are going to encounter, or if you will see that person ever again, or if they will become your best friend. So put the social anxiety down the next time you are in unfamiliar territory, and go up to that person sitting alone or in a group of people and introduce yourself. What's the worst that could happen?

SPONTANEOUS TRAVELING TIPS:

1. First off I don't have many tips, I just kind of wing it and go from A to B. But one thing I definitely believe in is having a good traveling playlist wherever you go. Some of my favorite bands to listen to while traveling are: Foreign/National, Years and Years, Saint Motel, NeonIndian, The Plastics, Two Feet, and Palace. They all just have happy vibes and music is SUCH an important part of our lives, it brings people together.

2. Pack light. I get it, I have a lot of clothes and random crap that I would love to bring with me, but it becomes a hassle when you have a lug a bunch of stuff with you especially if its a short trip or day trip. Seattle's one of those places I travel to the most, and I always just bring a backpack. Think about bringing versatile outfits, and your absolute essentials. For me its my laptop, ripped up jeans and a couple t-shirts, and my film camera and extra film.

3. Open your mindset up to everything possible, and start saying yes more. If being in new places surrounded by new people is hard for you, think about the experiences this adventure could bring you, and all the positive breakthroughs this one experience could hold. Don't close yourself off by not letting yourself try something new, or saying no to everything. SAY YES!! Most importantly, life moves pretty fast, you don't stop and look around every once in a while, you could miss it...

Happy travels,

Sim