In the summer of 2014, right after I graduated high school, I was fortunate enough to be able to take the trip of a lifetime. I got to travel all around France including places like Paris, Nice, Lyon, and many more. Each part of France I traveled to just kept getting more and more beautiful and I felt like I was in a dream most of the time. Although it was very nerve-wracking at times, this trip as a whole has made me so much more fond of the world and interested in everything else thats out there. It has now been two years since my trip and I still remember every little detail of it and my heart aches to get back out into the world and do as much traveling as I can because I truly believe it is good for our souls. I have listed a few reasons why everyone deserves their own trip of a lifetime.

1. The Anticipation

There is no word to describe exactly what it feels like the day of your big adventure. There are so many emotions involved. Scared, nervous, worried, but most importantly, EXCITED. All of these emotions are 100% normal and expected, especially if you have not traveled across the world before. Even thinking about my next trip gets me anxious. The "fear of the unknown" plays a large role in this because you never truly know what to expect, but personally, I find that part of the fun in it. You just have to be okay with things not going exactly as planned because most likely something will go wrong and although it can be extremely stressful, thats just part of the adventure. The anticipation of your trip, whether you have to wait a year, a month, or a week, is a good thing because it gives you something to always look forward to everyday.

2. Experiencing a New Culture/Tradition

You will most certainly come across new cultures and maybe even some new traditions on your trip. It can be scary because obviously you aren't familiar with the culture wherever you are and you might not know exactly what you're getting yourself into. BUT, experiencing a new culture or tradition can be fun and exciting too because of the same reasons.

After getting the opportunity to travel to France and getting to experience their culture, I have found it so interesting to see how people across the globe live their daily lives so much differently than ours. Just little things like what their road rules are like, how people you pass on the street act towards you, or the insane amount of adorable cafes every five feet. It's mind-blowing to me to think that what we consider "normal" in our lives back home is weird and outrageous to someone of a different culture and vice versa. It really puts it into perspective when you realize how big and different this world really is.

3. Traveling Gives us a Break from our Fast Paced Lives

Most of us are full time college students or we work full time or even both so we become so accustomed to our hectic and busy schedules that it barely phases us most of the time. Sometimes we don't even realize how stressed we really are. Most of us know that stress has some pretty nasty effects on the body including but not limited to: headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, depression, and anxiety.

Traveling gives us a break from being stressed out day to day from the same things and gives us time to slow down and really take in what you're experiencing. And it makes us appreciate what we have (or what we are fortunate enough to not have). Traveling makes us forget about our biggest everyday worries and stressors.

4. The FOOD

This may be the most important part of this article (or at least to me it is). The food in France is SO much better than the food in The United States. Don't get me wrong, I love our food. Actually I love food in general, but the food in France is tastier, fresher, and healthier! You know the food you're eating is completely fresh 99% of the time. Also, with the food being healthy AND tasting delicious, it makes you want to continue to eat/be healthy.

There are many, many, many new things to try while traveling and I 100% recommend trying something new at least once, even if it sounds disgusting, because who knows, you could come to love it (speaking from experience while trying escargot).

5. Famous Tourist Attractions

You absolutely cannot travel to Europe without going to at least one famous tourist attraction. Just in France alone, there are SO many to visit! There's the Eiffel Tower, Champs De Elysee, the Arc de triomphe, The Louvre, Notre Dame, and many more. Getting to see these attractions in person was so amazing and breath taking. Each one is beautiful in their own way and no two are alike at all. Although it can get a little annoying and stressful because they're constantly packed with tourist just like yourself and myself, once you can get past this, it will definitely be worth the hassle.

6. Memories to Last a Lifetime

I cannot stress this enough. Take a million pictures! I know people will say "put your phone down and enjoy the moment" and although I agree with that, I also think pictures are so important. Photos will always be available whether you keep them on your phone or computer, or if you get them developed. So, whenever you want to reminisce on your trip, looking back at all of your pictures can bring back great memories that you forgot about. So yes, take as many pictures as your heart desires, but don't forget to disconnect from technology for a few minutes and just try to take in everything you're getting to experience. This trip could be your only one and there are so many people in the world who don't get these kinds of opportunities even once, so don't let yourself miss out on anything.