Traveling is one of the greatest things in the entire world, well to me at least. I love getting to explore a new country, state or city. I think traveling makes you open your eyes and see the world in a different perspective. In my 21 short years on this earth, I’ve traveled a little. Not as much as some, but more than others.

When I was in high school I was on a competitive cheerleading team and we had competitions all over. I’m from New York and we went to Florida, Virginia, South Carolina and closer competitions in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Those were my first exposures to traveling. Even though I was in those states for a specific reason, I got to explore a little bit which was so much fun. Plus, I was with a lot of my good friends so it made it even better.

Then I came to college, I thought this was going to be the time to travel. Isn’t that what spring breaks are for? After my freshman year, I went on a cruise to the Bahamas with a bunch of good friends from home. That was my first time ever leaving the country. It was for sure a different experience. Then it was spring break of my junior year. Two of my sorority sisters and I went to Europe! We went to London and Dublin for the week. This was an eye-opening experience for us. We were thrown into a completely different culture. We had to grasp their language and their money rather fast.

We were your typical tourists; we saw Big Ben, Kensington Palace, Westminster Abby, Buckingham Palace and all of the other typical London things. We also walked around and ate lots of different food. There is a place called Wafflemiester that made the best waffles with strawberries and chocolate. (Okay I want one now, thanks a lot!) We ate a lot of potatoes, and tried all sorts of new things.

Then we flew to Dublin, after we thought we were being taken by a creepy taxi driver, but that’s another story for another time. Dublin was beautiful. I promise you this is one place you want to visit while you can. I was only in Dublin for two days before I flew home, but I got so much out of it. We toured different factories, went shopping, ate at a famous café and saw authentic Irish dancing.

Then this summer I spent a week in California with my best friend. We did everything; we hiked, shopped and were your typical tourists. We found little places that not many people knew about and walked on Sunset Boulevard. One week was not enough in California, but that week is one of the reasons why I want to move out there once I graduate.

Even though I haven’t traveled that much, my eyes have been opened to how much is really out there. Traveling while you’re young is something you have to do. We are so set in our ways, but seeing other people’s cultures and way of life, is a huge eye opener. The next place I want to go to is Paris, and that actually may be happening during Christmas this year!