Secondary education is important, that goes without saying. It is education that helps propel you into becoming a career-oriented adult. But there’s another form of education that can help with self-development—while you’re a university student: That’s the education of travel! Here are five reasons why you should make room for travelling while you’re in university (of course, travel is recommended during your winter break, spring break or reading week!).
- Come into your own – you’ll be building confidence, learning how to deal with any roadblocks or foreign situations, learning to manage saving and sustaining budgets, learning to get around and so on. This allows you as a student to develop a sense of awareness of how to adapt to varying situations and become more independent as an adult. In life, you can only really depend on yourself and having these life skills can be essential in many ways; in turn, you’ll have valuable knowledge and advice to impart to others!
- Make new friends and expand your network – Building your international network could open so many doors for you down the road career-wise. Building those lasting friendships could turn into opportunities that can serve you in your career and other life endeavours.
- Learn about a new culture – there’s so much to learn when fully immersing yourself into a new culture. More than a cultural studies textbook would ever tell you, having that hands-on or face-to-face immersive experience is absolutely invaluable; you’ll be meeting so many different people. Your perspective on the world will change; you’ll develop cultural sensitivities and develop a deeper awareness of a different lifestyle. These are real-life situations and experiences that become part of your life too.
- Play up being a student – I touched earlier on coming into your own by learning how to manage various situations such as budgeting. What I can also say is that being a student can have perks too; there could be student discounts at various restaurants, attractions and even admission to certain shows and events that could really benefit you while you’re a student (usually under 30) and travelling.
- Break out of that routine – no matter where you travel to, you may be doing something different almost every day. You’ll move out of your comfort zone, do things that scare you but the rewards will always outweigh the challenges.
Written By:
Jane (Destination Specialist) at DownUnder Travel
My affinity with the South Pacific, my many years of experience exploring the regions there and my vast knowledge ensure that I provide the best itinerary to suit your interests and budget. I enjoyed 4.5 months exploring the South Pacific when I was 22 – backpack in tow!
