8 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Travel

Traveling. The classic wanderlust cliché lifestyle that every millennial is trying to live out. Why would you even want to travel, anyway? Well, here are some reasons why you shouldn’t travel.

1. You will never be happy with being complacent.

Once you travel and begin to see the world, you’ll realize that there are so many different cultures, histories, societies, types of food, everything. The second you realize that traveling can help you become a better person, you’ll never be able to deal with “comfort” and “stability” ever again. And how nice are comfort and stability? You’ll go after everything you’ve ever wanted.

2. You’ll never have a “home” again.

When you begin to travel, you realize that “home” is not a place. It’s a concept. It’s the people you surround yourself with. The memories you make. The experiences you have. The growth you encounter. The change you accept. So it becomes hard to associate that with a certain place. Yeah, it can always be the hometown where you lived in your parent’s house and endured first kisses, awkward yearbook photos and bodily changes you’ll never want to go through again, but in reality it’ll always be based off how a moment in time makes your heart feel. And that is irreplaceable.

3. You’ll never want material items again.

After realizing that seeing new places is much more fulfilling than material items, you’ll begin to lead a very minimalistic life. You’re not going to be sitting on your deathbed thinking about how that one pair of Prada sunglasses fulfilled your soul. You’ll be thinking of that time you moved to New York City by yourself. You’ll be thinking of the friends you made when you backpacked through Chiang Mai. You’ll be thinking of the time you and your aunt spontaneously bought tickets to Nairobi. It’ll always be the people and places you experienced along the way.

4. You’ll only spend your money on plane tickets.

Once you travel, you’ll become addicted. The only way to get your fix? You’re going to keep planning trips. You will always have a plane ticket booked, whether it’s visiting old friends in Chicago, taking a soul searching trip in Argentina, or impulsively going to Vegas for a weekend. For the rest of your life, you bank account will be bound to airlines.

5. You’ll have to figure out how to actually plan a trip.

There is always that friend in a group that is the planner—yes, you know who you are and you know who that friend is. I can definitely assure you that I am not that friend, so I know how you feel if you’re lost when it comes to planning. Traveling forces you to think ahead and actually become organized. Even if it’s just figuring out what days to go somewhere or what cities to go to, it pushes you to make decisions and actually come up with a solid plan. And that’s a pretty important skill in life.

6. You’ll have some weird and crazy encounters.

Ever been stuck at a bus station at midnight in Bologna, Italy with a dead phone and a homeless man sitting next to you? No? Well, you’ll have a similar story very soon. And the best part? You’ll live to tell the amazing story of how you made it through that crazy adventure. How you problem solved, thought on your feet and persevered. And how you came out a stronger, wiser and better person.

7. People will make fun of you.

“Oh my god, DID YOU STUDY ABROAD?” “Wow she posted a lot of pictures of her vacation,” “Okay, we get it, you travel.” These are a few of the countless phrases you will hear or experience in your life. And the best part? Shrugging all of them off and saying, “Yes, yes I do enjoy traveling. If you don’t like my photos, please feel free to unfollow me.” Who needs a fake follower anyways?

8. You’ll have to say a ton of goodbyes.

The people you travel with or meet along the way are likely living in some other extraordinary area of the world. People that have impacted your nomadic days will come and go, and saying bye to them will be heartbreaking. But here’s the thing—the people who are truly meant to be in your life will never actually have to say a true goodbye. Just a see you later. It hurts in the moment, but knowing that you’ve created a lifelong bond is forever priceless.

There you have it. Traveling sucks. It makes you excited for change, ready for adventure, and extremely confident in who you are, all at the same time. And who would want that?