Travel is undoubtedly one of life’s most uplifting and incredible experiences. When we travel, we are able to see and appreciate a wider degree of the essential mystery and wonder found in the world. We experience different cultures, foods, sights, sounds, and encounter different people living according to different rhythms and traditions.

Travel has the potential to be a great and transformative experience at any stage of a person’s life, but there are some real and significant reasons why you should try and travel as much as possible when you’re still a student.

This might mean taking part in a student exchange program such as the Erasmus program in Europe, or it could mean going on a student group trip, courtesy of a service such as Study Link Tours.

Your student years are the time of your life when it’s easiest to make social connections with new people.

This isn’t necessarily true for everyone, as some of us come out of our shells later in life. For a large number of people, however, their student years are the time when it’s easiest to make social connections with new people.

Later in life, you’ll typically have to put in a degree of effort to meet new people. You’ll either encounter them through a hobby group that you’re a part of, through your job, or through your extended friendship circles.

As a student, though, everyone’s focused to a large degree on having a good time, and social connections come easily. This means that travelling as a student can be a great way to make some social connections with people on the other side of the world, that might well last for years to come.

Travel can completely change your perspective on the world, and broaden your horizons, if you’ve been relatively sheltered up until that point.

Most people go to university when they’re at a young age, at the point where adolescence gives way to adulthood. For a large number of people, going away to university in itself is a whole new awakening to the world, and a broadening of horizons.

If you’ve been relatively sheltered in your home life, going away to study can be an accelerated learning experience about the world at large.

Travel magnifies that learning dramatically. At a point in your life when you’re likely still quite uninformed about the world, travel can dramatically broaden your horizons and get you thinking about things in a new way.

The experiences and adventures you have on your travels can form some great memories

Some of the best experiences you’re likely to have in life are also those that yield the best stories - whether happy, scary, or just plain funny.

Travel takes you out of your comfort zone, and by necessity, forces you to confront the world head-on, and opens you up to interesting experiences.

Whether you’re planning on writing a book at some point down the line, detailing all of your best anecdotes, or just like the idea of having some tales to share with friends, travel can help.