(Archive December 2017) Student Discovers the Joy of Travel

By Rachel Aster | Observer Contributor

Travel is often seen as something that only the rich do while on vacation, staying in 5-star hotels on resorts. I had the same opinion of travel coming from a lower middle-class family and having our yearly vacation be a two-hour drive to the Lakes Region in NH. 

It wasn’t until I became an adult that I realized the world was my oyster and world travel is something that does not have to cost a fortune. Since coming to this realization, travel has been my outlet from stress, depression and has helped me dramatically with anxiety.

Nothing made me more anxious than finding myself in Iceland at 4 a.m, trying to rent a car, fighting language barriers and no credit card. By throwing myself in uncomfortable situations, my day to day anxiety largely decreased.

Based on a 2017 article from PsychCentral.com, people are at their happiest when they have a vacation planned and are also more positive about their health, economic situation and general quality of life. I have found this true on so many levels in my own life. 

Having a trip planned is the difference to me between feeling trapped and feeling free. The day to day stress of life seems so much less when you know you are a week away from hopping on a plane and exploring new lands.

I was in a depressive slump after my father suddenly passed away when I was 21. The world felt so empty and pointless, I was tired of looking at the same environment every day.

One day, my younger sister asked me if I wanted to spontaneously fly to Hawaii and do work exchange at a hostel with her for 3 months. Of course, my answer was yes.

That was 4 years ago, I have since traveled to Iceland, road tripped the entire West Coast, been back to Hawaii and am planning a summer Machu Picchu hike. The world seems brighter and my head, clearer. 

Although I do not make a lot of money, traveling can be affordable for anyone if you aren’t picky. I have stayed at many hostels, Airbnb’s, and camp sites just to be able to get the adrenalin rush of foreign lands. 

My mental state has never been better and I plan on continuing to explore as much of the world as possible. My advice to anyone who is questioning going on a trip: you are much more likely to regret the things you don’t do versus the things you do.