Some people have a gift when it comes to finding their way. They can look at a map and know exactly where to go, without re-re-rechecking a dozen times. Others can find their path even after decades. My father, for example, can give accurate directions to some places they haven't been in upwards of thirty years.
I do not have that gift, because while not all who wander are lost, I usually am. I have the third-worst sense of direction in the world (the first belonging to my mother, and the second to a friend). I've literally gotten the wrong state lost before.
Hey, they say not all who wander are lost, but I usually am. And that's okay for two reasons.
First, you can avoid being late due to lostness (the primary issue that comes with my navigational inability) by leaving early. This one simple trick of padding the time you need to travel somewhere can prevent lateness, even if your GPS dies the first time you take the long, eight-hour drive home from college by yourself (hypothetically speaking). Another concern is safety (naturally) as it grows dark (and if you live on the east coast, deer with poor senses of self-preservation appear) and/or you end up in strange neighborhoods. In strange neighborhoods, you can move through them quickly (the obvious solution) but the extra time helps when there are deer everywhere and you have to go slow.
Secondly, and more importantly, you can have all sorts of strange and unusual adventures when you get lost. If you have nowhere to be immediately then getting lost can actually be a ton of fun. By getting lost, I've managed to stumble upon interesting museums, trains, parks, trail, stores, flea markets and so much more.
If I had a good sense of direction, I would miss out on so many adventures.
So if you're like me and can't navigate well, that's okay. It may just lead to an adventure you wouldn't have otherwise had.
