By now, everyone’s seen Buzzfeed’s video list of But why give yourself a whole decade to get around to traveling when you have the most commitment-free four years of your life to take advantage of: college! With summer, winter and spring breaks (plus all those long weekends), this is the perfect time to get out there and indulge in all of those vacations you’ll wish later in life that you had taken when you had the chance.
1. The quintessential road trip. It doesn’t matter if it’s across the country or just a few states over; the only necessities are good friends, some gas money and a rough travel plan. When else will you be able to get away from it all for a week without worrying about taking time off work, getting a sitter for pets or kids (or, alternately, listening to a chorus of “Are we there yet?” for the whole trip) and accommodating everyone’s different schedules?
Tip: Stop at all the funky tourist traps you see, like or the location of the world’s largest artichoke, and take lots of pictures.
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2. A music festival. Depending on what you’re feeling and where you live, you can choose from , , , or the many other festivals in the US and around the world. Just find a group of friends with similar music taste and get yourselves to a festival. Plus, when you’re in college you won’t feel as grungy camping out and going un-showered for a few days, because you’re used to doing that for finals week anyway.
Tip: For a once-in-a-lifetime experience, figure out if any of your favorite artists are playing private shows that you can get into.
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3. A volunteer trip. Take a trip with the sole purpose of volunteering in a place that could use your help. Whether it’s teaching schoolchildren in Africa to read or building houses in an area wrecked by a natural disaster, it will make you appreciate what 嘉盛 you take for granted in your own life, plus you’ll be making a difference in the world. This trip is also great for those of us on a college budget, because a lot of programs cover housing and food expenses while you’re working with them.
Tip: Find a cause that you’re passionate about before taking a volunteer trip. If you know you’re not great with kids, opt to plant trees or work at an animal sanctuary instead. Interested in planning your own volunteer trip? Check out organizations like , , or .
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4. A camping trip. Grab a tent, a sleeping bag and some frozen hot dogs and go camping. Camping sites are affordable and easy to find, and spending a few nights in the great outdoors serves as a nice change from sleeping in a cramped dorm room or apartment. Places like and offer beautiful hikes, chilly rivers and that crisp California mountain air that will leave you loath to return to the real world.
Tip: Turn off your phone, laptop, TV and iPad for the weekend and go outside for a change. It’ll be really hard, but you’ll (probably) survive.
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5. Study abroad. Immerse yourself in a new culture and learn the languages and customs, either by staying with a host family or getting an apartment with some roommates. Take advantage of your school’s study abroad program or plan your trip through one of the many third-party programs out there. For a different experience, find an internship abroad or even take a gap year and set off on your own.
Tip: Take language classes, but also try to pick up some sort of hobby unique to the region you’re living in, like a yoga session in India, a perfume workshop in France, tango lessons in Argentina or flamenco in Spain.
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