The Optimist
  • Home
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Features
  • Print Edition
    • The Pessimist
    • Special Projects
  • Police Log
  • Classifieds
You are here: Home / Opinion / Columns / Travel more fun than vacationing

Travel more fun than vacationing

February 13, 2013 by Melany Cox

Texas is a big state and the United States is a big country, but it’s surprising how many people can say they’ve never left the U.S., or even Texas.

Oh, and that vacation to Cancun where you sat by the pool and drinks came with little umbrellas doesn’t count. That’s not a different country, it’s a tourist trap.

Travel can seem like an ominous thing. It’s exhausting and stressful. And that’s not including packing.

J.R.R. Tolkien put it best in his book The Fellowship of the Ring, when he said, “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

He wasn’t kidding. That’s what makes travel so intimidating: the journey into the unknown. Even if you’re traveling to a place you’ve been before, you never know what might happen on the journey.

It’s time to embrace the thrill of the quest.

This doesn’t mean focusing solely on the destination. There are lessons to be learned en route, but they are not always obvious. Interesting people can be met on trains, buses and planes. The best way to see a city or country for what it really is is to travel like the natives do.

Once you reach your destination, soak up as much as you can. This means going beyond the landmarks marked on the itinerary. Do your best to find the differences from your own culture and study them.

Studying a new location and culture doesn’t require using the scientific method or hours of observation with a clipboard. It involves expanding your perceptions, a.k.a, trying new things.

Food is the best way to educate yourself. And no, eating at a McDonalds or KFC in Europe does not count. Food speaks volumes about culture, location and people. Even if you don’t like it, it’s fun to say you’ve tried something exotic.

Getting away from sites populated by tourists is another way to get the most out of your travel experience. The tourist population often skews views about a certain place. Instead, try exploring off the beaten path.

Travel is not only a great way to enjoy yourself, it is an educational experience that can give you something that a textbook or classroom cannot. It’s like embarking on a quest in an epic tale, but you get to live it.

The next time you have the chance or opportunity to get out of your comfort zone and travel, don’t even think about it. Just go.

Filed Under: Columns

Other Opinion:

  • Tariffs are the last thing struggling students need

  • Gen Z won the election for Donald Trump

  • A Swift rebuke: When it comes to politics, celebrities just do not get it

About Melany Cox

You are here: Home / Opinion / Columns / Travel more fun than vacationing

Other Opinion:

  • Tariffs are the last thing struggling students need

  • Gen Z won the election for Donald Trump

  • A Swift rebuke: When it comes to politics, celebrities just do not get it

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
30 Mar

Sing Song 2025 Awards Women’s Division:

Vocals:
1. Ko Jo Kai
2. Sigma Theta Chi
3. Delta Theta

Entertainment:
1. Sigma Theta Chi
2. Ko Jo Kai
3. Delta Theta

Note: An earlier post included a spelling error, so we have since updated it for accuracy.

Reply on Twitter 1906348770293317827 Retweet on Twitter 1906348770293317827 Like on Twitter 1906348770293317827 Twitter 1906348770293317827
acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
30 Mar

Sing Song 2025 Awards Class Division:

Overall Award:
1. Freshman Purple
2. Freshman White
3. Seniors

Reply on Twitter 1906188185371034000 Retweet on Twitter 1906188185371034000 Like on Twitter 1906188185371034000 3 Twitter 1906188185371034000

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

11 months ago

The Optimist

Video

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

1 years ago

The Optimist
"Ending my college education early was always the plan for me, but the things that I have been able to see, experience and examine about ACU’s community were not. I have found immense growth in ACU over the past three and a half years, but ACU still has a long road to climb if it wants to keep catering to students as the world changes around them." To read more of this article visit acuoptimist ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 28, 2024

Our top stories today include a recap of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, the ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 21, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 14, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 24, 2024

Latest Photos

1
2
3
4
5
PrevNext
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Policies
    • Advertising Policy
    • Letters to the Editor and Reader Comments
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Features
  • Advertise
    • Paid Advertisement
  • Police Log

© 2025 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved