A lot of people associate your 20s as a time of no responsibility and total freedom. For this reason, many 20-somethings spend this period of their lives partying and going out without a care in the world. And while this may be a popular way to live your life at this age, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best way to spend this peeiod of your life.

One day when you’re living in an assisted living facility you may look back and wish that you spent these years of your life differently. Most people agree that travel is particularly unique in your 20s since it can offer valuable opportunities that will shape the rest of your life.

Here are some of the reasons why traveling in your 20s instead of waiting until your older years can be advantageous.

Exposure to Different Cultures

Traveling exposes you to all sorts of different people and cultures. It allows you an opportunity to navigate a new place and step outside of your comfort zone. The advantage of an experience like this is that it can make you more open-minded in your older years. How many old people do you know that are stuck in their ways? Chances are they didn’t travel much!

Not only can travel make you more open-minded about the world around you, but it can also offer unique insight into who you are in relation to the rest of the world. Whether you navigate busy markets or enjoy a quiet theater production, the more you expose yourself to, the more you can broaden your understanding of yourself and the world.

Increased Empathy

While traveling in your older years is also advantageous and perfectly enjoyable, there’s something special about it early in life. The sooner you can open your mind, the more you’ll benefit from the empathy that travel can provide. Often, we lack empathy for certain people or cultures because we’ve never been exposed to it before.

Ignorance breeds ignorance, so the more you familiarize yourself with different cultures and places, the more you’ll gain first-hand experience, and foster a sense of empathy. If everyone in the world had just a little bit more empathy for each other, the world would truly be a more peaceful and understanding place.

Networking

Travel isn’t just about having fun alone or with your travel companions. Travel opens you up to new connections with others allowing you to network on an international scale. By making connections with people outside of where you live, you’ll be surprised to find how many doors are opened up in your life. Not just on a professional scale, but also on a personal scale.

Life is all about creating opportunities for yourself. Why not give yourself the opportunity to build global relationships that you will grow to treasure for a lifetime.