Everyone could use a little more vacation time, whether to travel across the world or just relax at home for a while. With the stress of trying to balance jobs, school and everyday activities, it turns out that spending some time away from home can have incredibly positive impacts on many aspects of anyone’s life.
- Better Careers: Studies show that students are likely to get a job in their field sooner and with better pay when they have studied abroad. Employers also recommend that students have that experience to help them in the workplace.
- More Sleep: Sometimes, especially in college, people don’t get enough sleep and vacations can provide deeper, longer sleep even after returning home.
- Improved Physical Health: Everyone knows that kicking back and enjoying some time on the beach is relaxing, but even trips of just one or two days are proven to decline blood pressure, heart rate and stress hormones.
- Higher Grades: According to a Georgia study, 100% of students saw their GPAs rise as a result of traveling abroad, with their grades often rising twice as fast as normal students.
- Fresh Perspectives: Adults—students or otherwise—who went traveling often express a difference in character. Open-mindedness, confidence, tolerance and emotional stability were just some of the positive traits reported.
- Positive Attitude: Travelers statistically have a happier or more positive outlook on their life or current situations and even looking forward to future vacations is shown to improve a person’s attitude concerning family, health, economic situations, etc.
- More Productive Work: Workers, or students, returning from vacations or leisure trips may experience up to a 25% increase in performance at work. It saves people from experiencing the typical “burnout” that may occur after being overworked.
- Reduced Stress: A study of almost 20,000 Canadians shows that physically-active leisure—which traveling absolutely is—contributes to much higher levels of and mental health and noticeably reduces stress.
- New Interests and Experiences: Being surrounded by different cultures will definitely introduce any traveler to new experiences and hobbies, possibly even major life interests. A little over a third of study abroad alumni reported that the program helped them choose their career field.
- Meet New People: Whether overseas or across the country, a traveler will have the opportunity to become acquainted with plenty of new friends, as well as potential colleagues—such as teachers, business associates or recruiters—who can help him or her gain a competitive edge in their field.
