Traveling in your 20s is possible and well worth it

This goes out to all the twenty-somethings out there.  It seems as though work, responsibilities, and choices in life all coat us with crippling stress – stress that some adults in their 30s have come to accept as their lot in life. We have an idea – something that could potentially reverse the curse of becoming machines that mindlessly complete menial tasks for the rest of our lives. That something is travel. Often times we forget that we’re still young with one-tenth of our innocence left.

Okay, it varies among everyone, but think about it: We’re suspended in a galaxy, stuck to the surface of a sphere that contains the Himalayas, Rome, the Amazon, Istanbul, New Zealand, the Galapagos – you name it! It would be foolish not to devour it while we still have our curiosity, drive and stamina. There are many reasons why traveling in your 20s is something to consider.

Traveling in your 20s can shape how you view the world. Most people fresh into college have not decided what beliefs or values to stick to, so seeing the world through various perspectives can help influence a person’s paradigm. It’s important not to develop all your opinions based on the media, classrooms, family, and inside circles. For example, traveling to Israel/Palestine, Russia, or South America will give you a more tactile perspective on foreign policy.

Another reason to travel in your 20s is that you’ll discover early on what’s most important. You’ll lose that need to purchase everything monetarily, because the memories of clubbing in Amsterdam is worth the cash you would have spent on a new wardrobe. That dirt between your toes accumulated on a dusty fútbol field is worth not going to the souvenir shop.

You’re probably thinking: I want to travel, but there’s no way I could afford or have the time for that.

There are techniques to make traveling easier.

Your first problem is most likely affording a trip out of the country. If you are serious, you can do what one of our editors does to afford cool events. She has a separate, non-taxed job: babysitting. Earning that extra 60 bucks on the weekends will put you ahead of the game. If you work a side, non-taxed, job that pays 60 bucks every weekend, in three years you will have $8,280. That’s well enough to afford a trip overseas. For amazing, professional tips on traveling, go to www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips. You will find literally everything you’ve wanted to know about where to start from Rick Steves. As a guidebook author, TV host, and manager of his own traveling company, Steves is a reliable counselor in the field of all things travel.

There are other ways to travel with benefits and learning experience. Our graphic designer recalls pleasant memories studying abroad in Italy. She spent a month in Rome and traveled in Siena, Pompeii, Florence, and many little towns in between. She studied art in the Vatican, and Christian art from 2000 years ago. She was able to witness the catacombs, filled with the remnants of Christians who died during the years of persecution.

As an art major, it helped her to understand and physically see in the flesh, a masterpiece.  Study abroad helped our designer receive several credits towards her art history class as well as her fine art photography. Pretty much all of her travels were paid for through grants and scholarships. Food, airfare, bus, and train rides came from her pocket. However, finding scholarships takes a bit of work. Our designer went through the list of scholarships available for study abroad students and she was also able to use financial aid.

To join the study abroad program at MHCC – destinations for Mt. Hood students include Costa Rica and Japan – you must contribute $5,000 of your own money but to many of the students, the experience is worth it.

We argue that traveling is worth it in general.