For over a year, my boyfriend and I planned out the adventure of a lifetime. From which route we were going to take, what landmarks we were going to see, to where we were going to stay. Needless to say, it was difficult to finalize these plans because, let's face it, three weeks isn't long enough to see all that this country has to offer. While we had a solid idea of what our journey would consist of, we did have the freedom of no time schedule. Plus, there are about twenty different time changes from Cincinnati to Los Angeles (just kidding, there's three.) All we had to do was take our time to explore and admire what seemed like a whole new world.

Going out West had been one of my biggest dreams, as it was for my boyfriend. Without him, there is no way this 5,000-mile round-trip dream could have come true. (Also, shoutout to him for driving 90% of it.) In most scenarios, being stuck in a car for over 70 hours with just one other person, no wifi, a cell-phone that refused to cooperate, and one radio station would have been enough to drive a person bonkers. Lucky for us, we aren't most case scenarios. A million thank yous would not begin to express how grateful I am to have experienced this with someone who made the most effortlessly-beautiful views, even more beautiful.

I can honestly say that I learned more about the world and myself in just three weeks than I have the previous 20 years of my life. It's so easy to get caught up in the "norm" and feel as though the average life you're living is the only way to live. While I was born and raised in southwest Ohio, it never really felt like home. For as long as I can remember, I've always romanticized what it would be like to live completely out of my comfort zone. This trip was just a taste of what it'd be like, and I've never felt so at peace somewhere then I did on the west coast.

Whatever you've been stressing over, isn't worth it.

Looking out into a canyon that stretches further than the eye can see and is completely untouched by a man really puts things into perspective. Things we consider to be stressors, problems, or imperfections in our lives only weigh us down and are so minute when looking at the big picture. This world is so filled with more effortless beauty than one could possibly imagine. When we open our hearts to the reality of how amazing the world we live in truly is, it makes everything we've ever spent too much time worrying about seem so silly.

Contrary to popular belief, the world is full of good people.

Leading up to our trip, we kept being warned of the "bad" people we could come across. We were given a baseball bat and a pocket knife, and, as if those two things weren't enough, we were even given a flippin' stun gun for protection! "People are crazy", "the world is a dangerous place"... we continuously were told these things as if going on this adventure was a one-way ticket to being murdered. Needless to say, all of the warnings we were given didn't fail to freak us out, and we were constantly on guard for any potential danger. Despite all of the "bad" that exists in the world, every single person we came across only gave me faith in humanity. Not once did either of us feel threatened or unsafe. Instead, the people who crossed our path were some of the kindest, most hospitable and welcoming human beings I have ever met. While I recognize that bad things do happen, I refuse to let that possibility hold me back from living and experiencing all of the things this beautiful life has to offer, and you should too.

Always choose the path less traveled.

Robert Frost said it best. We chose to take historic Route 66 as much as we could throughout our trip. Though this route isn't complete, most of it isn't paved, and there are many dead ends which force you to take the cliché highway-- or freeway for our west coasters. Choosing to take this route lead us to so much beauty and history. Sure, doing so added eight hours of driving to what was originally 14, but I have absolutely zero regrets whatsoever.

Whether getting lost on our way up (and down) while hiking the Hollywood sign and having to risk our lives through the complete wilderness of the hills. Or, turning a six-mile hike into an 11 mile one, and losing all feeling in our legs. We definitely "took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." While it may take longer and be more difficult, the other path is almost always more beautiful and will fill your life with unforgettable experiences.

This earth is too big and wonderful of a place to not try and see as much of it that our short lives allow.

So many people I feel are afraid of getting out of their comfort zones. They fear the "what if" factor so much that they don't experience all that they truly want. I know this may be hard to believe coming from a nineteen-year-old, but life is absolutely everything and more that you dreamed of when you were a little kid before "the real world" discouraged you. I know that traveling isn't for everyone and that plenty of people are content with staying right where they are. But, I promise, there is nothing like seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time, driving beside the ocean and a mountain on the Pacific Coast Highway, or standing at the edge of a cliff and hearing nothing but a complete silence that will make you realize how beautiful of a life this truly is. It shows that everything we've spent our lives dreaming of isn't something that just doesn't exist. No matter where you are, where you've been, or where you're going, don't let the "real world" trick you into believing that this world is anything but beautiful.

Thank you to the greatest travel partner for allowing me to experience what I would refer to as a "once in a lifetime" trip, but I know this is just the first of many.