Can travelling  replace the education?

With the cost of higher education rising dramatically each year, should you give up university  and instead use that money to travel the world? It’s one of the questions that  lots of  students wonder about.

Sitting at a desk studying page after page is only half the story, exploring the world can give you so much more than just knowledge.  There is an opinion that you can learn more about the geology , for example of the Grand Canyon in books, but you won’t truly understand  until you stand at its edge and watch the Colorado River snake its way into the distance. And  I actually think the same. Now, there is nothing more important than education. You should, of course, continue educating yourself your entire life. Learning should never be confined to just your time in classrooms.

If you’re  purposeful , whether you  attend university or not , you will achieve your future  success. Take Steve Jobs, Einstei, Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg, for example - these individuals have accomplished great things without completing formal learning programs. Why? Because they were driven, smart, and understood the value of learning itself.

One thing that has always impressed me about other countries is the chance of the “gap year.” In many countries, when you turn 18, you are able to travel  around the world before you head off to university. The idea is why should you go to university when you don’t know what you want to study?” It`s a great privilege to think out your life, go explore the world and grow up. In Russia we get used to going to university  after high school.  It’s part of imposed by society course of events: school, job, marriage, house, kids, retirement. And there’s a myth that if you don’t continue to attend the university right away, there must be something wrong with you.

I aked my friend,who finished not only the school but also the university. She is 25. Let`s  see what she thinks about it: «I got obsessed with traveling since the first time I had planned my first trip abroad without parents and travel agency services! All these cheesy and cliche routs that every travel agency has to offer a tourist are so boring and not of interest for me, so I prefer just to go on foot and explore a city by myself. To tell the truth, I was not a good student during history and geography lessons . I knew some major facts about countries and theirs capitals and that was pretty much . I don't want to say something bad about my teachers, they were truly masters of their art, I just wasn't interested, as truly interested in learning more about the world. But everything has changed when I set on the plane that got me to Berlin.. I was so deeply impressed by architecture, history of the city and country, some legends that came across every palace or tower, simply by Germans and their way of life that after my returning home I was studying not only German language but the history of the country like a mad woman!) 

And this happened once again  after my visiting Sweden, and France, and the Czech Republic...»  

So we can tell for sure relying on her own experience that traveling is the new and the best way of learning! And I mean not only learning history or language but also learning such major things as tolerance, better understanding of people, mutual aid.

But I was interested to know the point of view of the older generation, so I asked my father. «It’s great to travel when you’re young, but I definitely would not have appreciated the experience as much when I was 18. For some people , I think university teaches more than just what’s in books–it teaches independence and responsibility, which can certainly help us in the future. Of course, I also think it’s important to take advantage of study abroad opportunities while in university. It really  leads to more travel in the future.

From the financial standpoint, sure I am glad to have attended university when it wasn’t outrageously expensive. Unfortunately, it’s still necessary to get that education. It’s indeed difficult to answer this question. Travel is great but education is important. »

I think education is important and useful if you have an idea of what you want to get out of it. And if you don’t, don’t go. Work, volunteer, take up hobbies, or travel the world instead.

Travel is an education in itself, giving you the opportunity to learn about both yourself and the world. Exploring the world definitely makes you  grow up, and, sometimes, gives you direction in life.

Having a higher education increases your earnings and opportunity in your life. But if you’re young and unsure of how to proceed after high school, I’d say take a hobby, get a job, travel the world and go on adventures!

Never stop learning and get education when you’re ready.