The question “what does traveling mean to you?,” means something different for everyone. Whether it’s going somewhere new that is only two-hours away or somewhere halfway across the world, traveling allows one to have unforgettable experiences. For some people, traveling means going to a new city. On the other hand, some think of it as a way to escape everyday norms and go on a cross-country road trip. Despite the different definitions than people have for traveling, it allows for uniqueness and individuality.

It means being open to new experiences.
Traveling is always a time to try something new. Society does not always allow the opportunity to try new things, due to the constant repetition of work, school, work and school. Therefore, traveling allows one to escape this continuing cycle of sameness. It means spending the day in a new city and exploring all of its history, museums and parks. It means participating in an activity that you normally would not.

© Rosanetur

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It means making lifelong memories with friends and family.
Of course, memories can be made by doing something simple, such as going out for coffee. However, the best memories are made when traveling a new place. You and your friends or family at experiencing a new place together. You are both taking everything in together: the sounds of the ocean waves, the view of the sunset over the mountains, or the unique smells that come from any city.

© Barny Z.

It means being ready for the unexpected.
One can never predict what is going to happen when traveling, whether it is positive or negative. It can mean discovering that you have a passion for hiking, when you were previously a city person. On the other hand, it can mean a trip taking a different turn due to stormy weather. Either way, traveling is about being spontaneous. A trip is often filled with twists and turns. It is all about what path you will take that will inevitably define your trip. If one asks “what does traveling mean to you?,” a common answer is probably that traveling allows for an infinite amount of spontaneous adventures.

© Yann Caradec

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It means documenting most of the trip.
In the new age of social media, posting quality photos on Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat has become very significant, especially to millennials. Some believe that it is better to cherish the moment without rushing to take a picture of it. However, the digital age has given us the privilege of being able to remember the exact moment we traveled across the country for the first time. Whether it is by taking a Boomerang or a Snapchat video, we are able to savor the unforgettable moments of our travels, rather than having to rely on our memory.

© Pedro Szekely

These four answers to our title question is tiny sliver of the multitude of answers out there, but they’re thought starters. We challenge you, during the next vacation, to spend 10-15 minutes thinking about what exactly the trip, and travel in general, has meant to you.