Some people feel as though they need to get to university as soon as they finish their secondary education, to get a good job at a young age and have the ability to travel once they have completed university. Life is not a race, and I prefer to breathe from time to time than quarrel for the infinite end. Of course, you gain experience and money working on your precious days before heading to university, but nothing compares to stepping foot into the unknown territory of a new continent, and here are my reasons to encourage you to travel before going to back to education
1) You experience priceless life lessons
Fully emerging into a new culture and dealing with all the problems, hassle and people make you understand a bit more of the world and humanity. Not a single individual in the world, even if they have visited same countries you have will have the same experience as you had in that country. You learn not only about other people but more of yourself also. You open different aspects to your personality because you forced yourself to change. Changing environments and changing your whole perspective of life. Moreover, that makes you realise how mentally strong you can be.
2) You gain confidence within yourself
Having to battle your way through the language barrier, and all the different situations and changes you encounter will give you that added boost you might have never felt before in your younger teen years. This is a great tool for when you enter university because even if at school teachers put you down, you realise now that nobody can put you down because you simply won’t let them. You understand how difficult change can be, and you made that change in your life, making you in charge of your life and the decisions and how you decide to face them.
3) You have time to reflect on your life
Gap years are a very useful tool for indecisive people on what to study during your years at University. You do not want to change courses or drop out because you did not think it through properly, because of the day that is money wasted. You realise that grades are only a letter on a piece of paper and that there are a trillion different career opportunities ready for you to grab with both hands. You will meet people with all sorts of different cultural backgrounds. You will rub shoulders with the wealthy and with the poor, and this will make you realise that life is worth more than the money you make or the car you drive to your work destination.
4) You learn how to budget and fend for yourself
Without your parents giving you much help, you can learn how to budget money, areas in where to earn some extra money and how to survive alone. You do not need to be surrounded by people you know to give you help because you have the ability of confidence on surviving by yourself.
5) You build an exciting life and create unique experiences
Let’s not forget; your life can become more interesting than your favourite adventure book if you only remember to think logically and decide to live your life to the fullest, experiencing anything you can at every opportunity. How many people at the university will you meet with experiences as awesome as yours? Many if you decide to enter the travel association where you can share your passion with like-minded people like yourself.
Those are my reasons for starting your globetrotting life before your twenties, and before you are tied down to a gruelling daily job. I hope you enjoyed this post, more are on their way. Feel free to share with family and friends as I enjoy sharing my travelling experiences with all of my audience!
Maria Hanako van Straaten 