Whether it is the world’s most beautiful beaches, tallest mountains or most transparent waters, many people dream of traveling to experience all of the beauty and wonder the world has to offer outside of familiar borders. It’s common to spend time longing and waiting for the right time to get to that ideal destination.
But if there is a will there’s a way and these Howard University undergraduate students have proved themselves to be world travelers with particular necessities in mind including finding the right people to travel with, doing the research and taking the leap.
Senior TV & film major Chesney Green grew up with travel experiences under her belt and continued to pursue them as she shares her guide to traveling for young adults with her travel blog. The Dallas native started her blog, Chasing Clouds, in hopes of sharing her knowledge on traveling featuring flights, itineraries and experiences she’s having.
“I can’t stress that money comes back, but time doesn’t. It’s better to spend it on worthwhile, and tangible experiences like traveling than on random stuff you can’t even really recall,” Green said. “Also, don’t be afraid, there will be opinions and cautions about everywhere you go, don’t let them deter you.”
From the beaches of Miami and Turks and Caicos, Green’s blog and social media platforms, including Tiktok, feature content that inspires and encourages young adults to put in the time to create the worldwide ventures that they want.
Recognizing the options available is one of the biggest challenges, but not impossible. Another avenue of travel that students have taken advantage of is study abroad programs. Academic programs have countless opportunities for undergraduate students to travel and study their subject of choice while experiencing the joys and challenges of being in another country and exploring it like a local.
“Traveling through study programs is one of the best ways to do it and learn all at the same time,” Maya Hadley, a senior political science major from Atlanta, said. “There are a lot of cool programs or fellowships for critical language study or research, just little opportunities for you to go and study abroad and travel how you want to.”
Similar to Green, Hadley grew up on travel and quickly “fell in love with learning about people through their own culture and language.” She has since made it a priority to travel during her college career and made her way to various cities in Mexico, Spain and Colombia all since beginning her undergraduate education.
“Doing your research” is the key, Green said. “There is a lot more that goes into traveling than it seems. Talk to people who do it frequently, get recommendations, and use the resources you have readily available to help you.”
Tayess John, a senior psychology major from Charlotte, North Carolina, mirrors Green’s sentiments. John’s travels have taken her to places like Amsterdam, London and Japan.
“It’s okay to look up Youtube videos or go on Reddit to find out about how Black people are treated based on where you’re going. Look at the negative and the positives to be prepared for what you may experience,” John said.
In addition to all the benefits of being a well-traveled young adult, Green, Hadley and John all emphasized other benefits that may go under the radar such as personal growth, comfort and confidence to travel as a young adult and making memories.
Copy edited by Alana Matthew