Since it is spring break season and it is the first year in a while that I haven't gone anywhere, it gave me time to think.
This year I went back home for break, went to a funeral, went to the doctor, and went back to see my skating clubs annual ice show. Such a different atmosphere compared to my junior and senior year spring breaks.
Senior year I went with my friend group to Mexico. Three girls, ten guys, a few parents and two siblings. It was what you'd expect out of a senior spring break. Unlimited drinks, chilling by the pool, chilling on the beach, went to some shows, participated in activities at the pool like dance lessons or contests, and simply just hanging out with your friends.
Junior year I took a trip of a lifetime with my school's history department. Tree teachers and twenty students from my school took a ten day trip to the United Kingdom. AKA my favorite place on Earth. We traveled to Manchester, Liverpool, Oxford, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Greenwich and last but not least, London. We saw so many landmarks, old castles, cathedrals, Shakespeare's birthplace, Harry Potter sites, Manchester United's stadium- Old Trafford Stadium, many of the Beatles' landmarks and tourist places. In London we had many tours of Westminster, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, St Paul's Cathedral, countless museums, a play... ahhhh! So many amazing things I can't even recall all of them! I could go on and on about this trip.
Looking back, if I could do a trip over, I would chose England in a heartbeat. Sure Mexico was amazing, but it is different. A year later and I'm not even friends with that group anymore, I only talk to one girl, my best friend Maddie. Everyone else is totally out of my life. It is so strange how quickly things change. But my adventure to England was extraordinary. I began my journey on that trip not knowing a soul besides one of the teachers. I arrived back in America with 20 new friends and countless stories that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
Right before graduation I spoke in front of my teachers class of juniors in hopes of encouraging them to take the next trip with the history teachers for their senior spring break. I told them that sure going to Mexico with your friends is a blast, but is it worth it? Sure you are legal to drink in Mexico, but you have the rest of your life to drink with your buddies. It is so easy to go to Florida or Mexico for breaks, going across the pond isn't so easy. I tried my best to persuade them to expand their horizons and go out of their comfort zone. I hope I was able to connect with them in hopes that they would get to experience what I got to feel.
I have been to Mexico a total of four times now and they are all just a blur. Sadly they all run together and do not mean that much to me. They were just stupid little trips that happened to cost a fortune. But England was different. I learned new things the entire time I was overseas. I met so many incredible people. Saw so many things we learned about in our textbooks, so many experiences I never got when I went to Mexico. After traveling all over the UK, something sparked in me. I yearned to learn. I started to enjoy history. Everything seemed more real in my eyes. I got new perspectives on culture and diversity. I want to travel. I want to learn. I want to experience as much as I can. I want to see the world.
If you are trying to decided between your normal trip somewhere warmer with your friends and a trip of a lifetime only know a few people.. please choose option B. I promise you that you will grow as a person. Broaden your horizons. Feel better about yourself and who you are. Learning makes us better people. Experience something new. Go out of your comfort zone. Do something that you will cherish until the day you die. Do something to brag about when you come back home.
Travel.
Open your eyes.
Experience the world.
This year I went back home for break, went to a funeral, went to the doctor, and went back to see my skating clubs annual ice show. Such a different atmosphere compared to my junior and senior year spring breaks.
Senior year I went with my friend group to Mexico. Three girls, ten guys, a few parents and two siblings. It was what you'd expect out of a senior spring break. Unlimited drinks, chilling by the pool, chilling on the beach, went to some shows, participated in activities at the pool like dance lessons or contests, and simply just hanging out with your friends.
Junior year I took a trip of a lifetime with my school's history department. Tree teachers and twenty students from my school took a ten day trip to the United Kingdom. AKA my favorite place on Earth. We traveled to Manchester, Liverpool, Oxford, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Greenwich and last but not least, London. We saw so many landmarks, old castles, cathedrals, Shakespeare's birthplace, Harry Potter sites, Manchester United's stadium- Old Trafford Stadium, many of the Beatles' landmarks and tourist places. In London we had many tours of Westminster, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, St Paul's Cathedral, countless museums, a play... ahhhh! So many amazing things I can't even recall all of them! I could go on and on about this trip.
Looking back, if I could do a trip over, I would chose England in a heartbeat. Sure Mexico was amazing, but it is different. A year later and I'm not even friends with that group anymore, I only talk to one girl, my best friend Maddie. Everyone else is totally out of my life. It is so strange how quickly things change. But my adventure to England was extraordinary. I began my journey on that trip not knowing a soul besides one of the teachers. I arrived back in America with 20 new friends and countless stories that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
Right before graduation I spoke in front of my teachers class of juniors in hopes of encouraging them to take the next trip with the history teachers for their senior spring break. I told them that sure going to Mexico with your friends is a blast, but is it worth it? Sure you are legal to drink in Mexico, but you have the rest of your life to drink with your buddies. It is so easy to go to Florida or Mexico for breaks, going across the pond isn't so easy. I tried my best to persuade them to expand their horizons and go out of their comfort zone. I hope I was able to connect with them in hopes that they would get to experience what I got to feel.
I have been to Mexico a total of four times now and they are all just a blur. Sadly they all run together and do not mean that much to me. They were just stupid little trips that happened to cost a fortune. But England was different. I learned new things the entire time I was overseas. I met so many incredible people. Saw so many things we learned about in our textbooks, so many experiences I never got when I went to Mexico. After traveling all over the UK, something sparked in me. I yearned to learn. I started to enjoy history. Everything seemed more real in my eyes. I got new perspectives on culture and diversity. I want to travel. I want to learn. I want to experience as much as I can. I want to see the world.
If you are trying to decided between your normal trip somewhere warmer with your friends and a trip of a lifetime only know a few people.. please choose option B. I promise you that you will grow as a person. Broaden your horizons. Feel better about yourself and who you are. Learning makes us better people. Experience something new. Go out of your comfort zone. Do something that you will cherish until the day you die. Do something to brag about when you come back home.
Travel.
Open your eyes.
Experience the world.
Junior SB '13