Most teenagers are fortunate enough to have great parents who protect and guide them when they need it. Being a teen can be difficult as there are so many rapid changes to deal with, physically, emotionally and intellectually. Seeking independence will develop naturally, but learning independence can be tough if they never face uncomfortable situations on their own.
There are several travel programs that can provide teenagers with the opportunity to discover and learn new skills they didn’t know they had. The whole travel experience can also nurture their independence and it is a way to enrich their lives in many ways.
1. They will develop confidence and independence
As adults, we know that things often don’t go according to plan. Flights get delayed, things get lost, cell phone service goes dead. It can be overwhelming to think about all the possible things that could go wrong when your teenager goes on their first trip without you. It’s something that you have to accept because it’s just life and even though they may not have dealt with some of these problems before, they will figure it out. They can handle it and it’s good for their confidence and self-esteem to know that they can.
Travel helps the development of critical thinking skills and can contribute greatly to classroom success. As a result, students acquire critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and improve their expertise in communication, collaboration, creativity, and innovation.
By nature, travel presents situations where critical thinking is required. Transportation, controlling expenses, eating, event planning are just some of the things that they will be faced with and they will naturally develop problem-solving skills. Travelling in a group also develops collaboration skills and creativity. Just solving basic travel problems can require some real creativity. Any number of situations can arise from lost baggage to road closure to losing cell service. They will need to make their own decisions every step along the way.
2. They may be inspired and develop a love for travel
Travelling independently without mom and dad is a completely different experience for a teenager. It really makes them aware of their needs and makes them directly responsible for their own decision-making.
3. New friendship opportunities
The friendships you make while travelling is one of the most rewarding aspects of travel. Your teen will spend time with people who share the same interests and work together towards the same goals.
As a result, they will develop friendships with students from other high schools who have lived very different lives from their own. The memories they make together will last a lifetime. Plus, it’s exciting to bond and become part of another group of students who have similar experiences to their own.
4. Cultural awareness development
Your teen may not know much about the world. Sometimes we think we do from studies and watching movies, but there is nothing that compares to real-world physical experiences. The world is huge but life, for the most part, is lived within a few miles of home. Daily routines like going to school, work and going shopping can create a bubble so it’s important to exit the comfort zone from time to time.
For a teenager, the first trip without parents is out of that comfort zone and it can be a real eye-opener to see the different ways people live. It may be alarming or it may be everything they dreamed of and more.
The beautiful architecture, the smells on city streets, the chatty hotel concierge are all part of the unique experiences and you can’t imagine them or predict them. They are just moments that become a part of us.
With a barrage of complex issues in the daily news, it is sometimes difficult to understand our place in the world. The experience of travelling helps us realize our connection to the rest of humanity.
It may surprise you to learn we have more similarities than differences. Travelling can be life-changing and provides new perspectives on the world around us as well as our own lives.
5. They will see the world from a different perspective
Some things can only be appreciated when you leave home. We learn a lot from meeting people from all walks of life and from different age groups, backgrounds and cultures. As you travel, you can gain new perspectives on issues you once viewed in a certain way. Your empathy for others will grow as you learn to understand others’ emotions and ideas better.
6. Resumes and applications for colleges will be enhanced
The desire to travel and learn other cultures, as well as foreign languages, shows employers and college recruiters that you are interested in things larger than yourself. Not travelling can keep you in a bubble, so getting exposed to people with very different life experiences is a big deal and important for developing an understanding of the world around us. It’s good to get out of your comfort zone even if “joining” is not usually your thing – plus it looks good on resumes.
Showing a broader interest in life and the world around us has become more important now than ever. Businesses are becoming increasingly global, so the ability to show flexibility and comfort with foreignness becomes increasingly crucial. Your character, how you conduct yourself, and where you went to school can be as important as what you know.
7. The teen years are the best for travel
When you become an adult, you have less time to travel. Students can take advantage of a number of great programs that offer great discounts. If you had to do it yourself later, you would have to pay much more than the costs of these high school travel programs.
High school students usually have a lot of energy and can see a lot of attractions in a short period of time and still manage to take it all in. Therefore, they can find out what they like and don’t like so they can plan their next trip or maybe revisit for longer next time.
Once adult life starts, other priorities take over and finding time to travel becomes more difficult. When job and family obligations develop, travel usually starts to take a back seat in priorities and it can be difficult to justify a trip to Europe when you’re trying to save up for a house or paying off student loans.
Global Summers Academy offers programs that will not only provide an incredible and safe travel experience but students can learn and earn high school credits at the same time.
The teenage years really are the best time to travel and see the world, so don’t delay, get going! To learn more about student travel programmes, call Global Summers Academy at 1.844.357.2621 or contact us here.
