The world is a big, scary place—just ask any news outlet, your university's risk management team, or your parents. It is full of people waiting to steal your identity or even kill you. "You should travel," they tell you. "Get out and become yourself," they say. "But please, do it when it's safer."

These are the messages I got from a lot of my friends and loved ones before I studied abroad in Europe. They couldn't believe that I would travel to the continent that was in the midst of so many crises—full of refugees, terrorism, and just danger in general "unlike the U.S."

But I did, and here I am, back in the U.S. several months later, able to tell you all of my incredible stories, with a newfound sense of identity, and a greater love for humanity.

I'm not going to try and deny that the world has serious global issues. Parts of the world are dangerous, and being afraid to travel to those places is a very real fear. However, I am here to tell you that after having traveled in several countries, the only thing that I find scary about the world is letting our fears prevent us from seeing it.

I spoke at a high school about studying abroad a few weeks ago, and one of the things I asked was, "Because who wouldn't want to travel the world at a time when it's so accessible?" A hand shot straight up from the back of the classroom. A boy in the back said, "Me. I don't want to." Out of disbelief, I asked him why not. He told me that he was fine where he was (and was a little scared of airplanes).

I am in 100 percent agreement with him that airplanes are scary; however, that whole mentality of "being fine where we are" is the real danger in this world. Yes, some people will live their whole lives in one area of the world, and they will live happily. And some people will travel the world finding new places and meeting new people, yet always feel empty. However, I can't hear a person claim that the world has nothing to offer them and not think they're crazy.

How in the world do you know the world has nothing to offer for you when you've never seen it—never even given it an honest shot?

How can you know the place where you are living is the place you were meant to be if you have never lived somewhere else?

Yes, your reality might be great right now and your life perfect in your eyes, but travel some distance and you will find that there are things about yourself you never knew, areas of your life that are untouched and dreams that are still unrealized that you never even knew existed.

I don't like to be the person who comes across as invincible because I know that bad things can happen to anyone at anytime.

But that is exactly the point. Anything could happen to you in the town you are living or in the new city you travel to; therefore, we shouldn't be scared of what could happen in a new, unfamiliar place. We shouldn't be scared at all. To live a life in fear is to live a life of misery.

Instead, I think you should stop dreaming in the distance of some place you will travel to "when things settle down." You should instead pick a place, save some money, travel there and see what happens. It could be bad, yes, but it could also be the best thing that ever happened to you. And that is a gamble I know that I am willing to take.

For me, Europe wasn't full of terrorists or thieves or murderers or the boogey man. It was bursting at the seams of the most genuine people offering advice and conversation, and offering me rides in their cars and places to sleep on their couches. It was people helping me find my way in big cities who did not speak my language and people understanding when I made even the silliest of mistakes.

With 100 percent certainty, I can say that there is more to be excited about in the vast size of the world than there is to worry about.

So, "Don't travel, the world is too dangerous." Or do, and come back with a wealth of stories and memories to share with others and an identity that you are finally proud to call your own.