Dear Future Me,
It’s January 28, 2022. I am writing this letter to you to promise that this is the year I travel somewhere new. This is it. There are so many places I want to travel to: New York, Florida, Hawaii, England, France, basically everywhere. Let’s take it one step at a time and start small. The first step is to save money for travel expenses and to plan ahead for the best dates to travel.
Last year, I traveled for the first time to Orlando, Florida. It was a spontaneous idea, but I did it. The best part is that I got to go with my family. Do I regret it? Definitely not! I had an awesome time and would go again. If anything, it helped me realize how much I have been missing. This year, I want to travel to New York City. Some of my friends have been talking about the idea to go somewhere this year and my response is almost always the same: “I’m down, let’s look at tickets.” However, it’s often just another idea that will get lost and will never be planned. I have been trying to make it happen, telling them that we should go for at least four days when tickets are cheap. But, they are either unable to travel or just don’t seem interested enough to plan it. I understand, but I don’t want that to be something that stops me. I want to explore!
I know the main reason why I don’t travel as much as I’d like to. I am scared to go on my own and be in a place I don’t know. But, I am done waiting on my family or friends to be able to go. It’s okay to go on your own. Sometimes we have to take certain paths on our own. Or, who knows, maybe new friends will appear and they might want to travel. The possibilities are endless. So, it’s best to stay prepared and know when it’s a good time to travel. As of right now, I have created a Google spreadsheet of all the assignments and exams I have for this winter quarter to better visualize what dates I can travel. So far, it’s been helpful in keeping me on track and reminding me when I have to submit new assignments. I also plan to set some money aside and keep adding to the pile as the months go by. The only thing I can hope for is that when you read this letter we will at least have a plane ticket or have already traveled.
The best advice I can give to you or anyone is: go for it. I know I am scared right now, but if I don’t step out of my comfort zone then I will never explore. Listening to people’s traveling stories is great, but it’s time I go make my own travel stories.
Love,
20-year-old Maria