As college students we seem to have a guide book about how life’s supposed to work. Go to class, get good grades, do an internship or two, join a club and graduate. Sure, there could be a party here and there, but nothing out of the ordinary for a college student. I have seen so much death within the past couple of months and it made me realize a few important things about life. It is short. As cliché as that sounds it's true. We are given an estimate of 100 years to live and even making it to that is lucky. We live and we die, but to live our lives the way society believes is not the path for everyone.

The road less taken is the one to true happiness. Yet, many students live their lives trying to blend into the red, white and blue background. America is a great country, but it is not the only country. Every country has something to offer that your own can’t. We need to embrace that while we're young and experience the world for ourselves instead of relying on Fox, CNN, NBC or even a documentary to give us their point of views. There are so many programs out there that give opportunities to young adults to travel the world and I’ve just met too many that pass the opportunity up.

There are programs that actually pay you to go across seas and teach your major. These programs pay for your housing, medical bills and even travel expenses so you can explore neighboring countries. Your 20’s are the time to be exploring the world and focusing less on the end goal – that being a job to pay all that lovely college debt back -- Though, don’t neglect your bills. All I am saying is for people to give life a chance, and live it extraordinary.

If leaving the country is something you can’t even fathom yet, then travel the United States. You encounter different people and beliefs wherever you go and those encounters shape you as a person. By straying off the path you give yourself a wider range of options for your future. To attend college just to get a job that’ll just pay the bills is not fulfilling. I don’t want my life to begin at 50-something only after finally tapping into my retirement funds. You don’t know what condition you’ll be in at that age, and quite frankly, you limit your adventures.

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” An anonymous quote that speaks the truth. While we are young, unmarried, uncommitted and free of back pain we have the opportunity to travel. Take a year off, or wait until you graduate from your bachelors, but don’t waste this life thinking that what’s around you is as good as it's going to get. It gets better, but it can only get better if you put in the effort to chase your life.

There is a reason why we follow people on Instagram who are always on the go. They are basically living our fantasy life for us. Yet, that is not OK. I decided a while back that I’m not going down the road most go because I don’t want to be like my peers, gawking over the amazing view some stranger took a picture of. Instead I want to be the stranger, and experience the reality of one’s picture.