Why I Started Traveling in 2016

2016 was an absolute whirlwind of a year, and despite all the angst towards 2016 I have seen on social media, I am so thankful for everything I experienced—I can’t believe I can say it — last year.

My 2016 (and now 2017) was motivated by what I call my “mid-college crisis.” I had a great first two years of college, don’t get me wrong. I joined a sorority, a pre-professional fraternity, Hofstra’s radio station, did some reporting for Hofstra Today, the school of communications’ news show, started a job and had two internships. I made many friends, better yet, family, and continued my fantastic friendships with people from home that have molded my college experience into something better than I could have imagined for myself.

When I went to college, I set a goal for myself to really enjoy my time at Hofstra and focus more on making memories. This may seem fairly cliché, but I decided I worked a little bit too hard in high school and I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss out on any opportunities in college. So with that mindset, I ventured through my first two years of college spending much time in New York City and engaging with my friends at school. One and a half years flew by and I was nearing the end of my sophomore year. I was pleased with my grades (almost straight A’s) and the myriad of incredible memories I accumulated. I was fairly satisfied with my school-social life balance, but I was not thrilled.

Something did not feel quite right. I was restless—more than usual. I was doing so many entertaining things, but I wasn’t seeing anything different. With some deliberation, I made up my mind that I could not stay in the country and I had to leave. That was the only thing that would cure my restlessness. So, with the very fortunate support of
my family, I signed up for a study abroad trip in Italy for the summer of 2016. I was finally traveling; something I have always found pure joy in. I could not wait.

Around the same time that I was finalizing my study abroad plans for the summer, a very special person came into my life: my little in my pre-professional fraternity. Just like myself, who was still restless and ready to leave, Olivia loved traveling and had just returned from studying abroad in London. Olivia and I got along so easily as we spoke about our yearn to travel and she explained how much she wanted to go back to visit her new family in London. You can probably figure out what happened next. By the last few weeks of the spring semester of my sophomore year, we purchased tickets for London for January of 2017.

My family thought I was nuts, and maybe I am. Or, maybe, I just have a longing to see the world while I can. Regardless of the case, 2016 brought me some of the best travels of my life and ignited my ache to continue traveling, which will definitely not end after London.