The warm sun settles through the open curtains, the chirping of birds resonates throughout the bedroom, the memory of a long-awaited Netflix binge settles in one’s mind. Excitement buzzes through the air as the thoughts of an adventure await.

Ultimately, are vacations even worth the stress they cause? A recent study showed that people develop stress throughout the planning of the trip and at the destinations; issues such as “Do I need a passport? How much will this cost? What will the weather be like? What time do we need to leave? What’s the traffic like?” kept arising. Vacations are supposed to be an ideal time to relax and take a break from the constant bombardment of problems and stresses. 61% of people said that work was a source of stress for them and a staycation is meant to be a time for R&R and an escape from everyday life.

Spending time around home allows the opportunity to explore new places such as new places to eat, parks, trails, museums, etc. Day trips are exactly what they sound like: a trip that one can take in a day, and when one is not paying for lodging costs, it allows for the opportunity to go spend time and money in a new place that is further from home. Think about all the times a person has said, “Maybe later…”. A staycation allows for spontaneity with adventures without worrying about the airport arrival time or if security is packed. The amount of stress significantly decreases when a person no longer has to worry about the logistics of a vacation. There are a few examples of staycations on  https://www.everydollar.com/blog/staycation-ideas.

When life drags you down and you are loaded with deadlines, assessments, plans, and expectations, how are you supposed to go out and see the world? Staycations offer a way for you to connect back to the community, to go and do things you haven’t done before. Maybe it’s that new Italian restaurant or that movie you’ve wanted to see since the trailer came out months ago. Staying home provides opportunities that were seemingly unattainable with the stress of regular life on your shoulders.

After spending hours on a flight, crammed like sardines next to complete strangers, a passenger sees a city behind the clouds through the airplane window. The wheels touch the ground and the plane comes to a stop. The passenger rises from their seat and grabs their carry-on from under their seat, ready to explore new terrain. 

Vacations allow people to experience new cultures, taste new foods, and see things that they have never seen before. Travelers are able to become more open-minded and gain a world perspective by traveling. 

Taking a trip enables people to escape from their daily stress which improves their mental health. Vacations can have a positive emotional effect and a study shows that those who take annual vacations are 32% less likely to die from heart disease.

However, vacations can be costly. Jetting off to Europe every month would be completely unreasonable. Taking a trip to a nearby city can be memorable. Journeying only 30 minutes away can enrich one’s perspective. This is inexpensive but still allows one to see new parts of the world. 

Traveling outside of one’s town allows people to experience more of what the world has to offer. It is a valuable experience and a great way to spend time away from school. Exploring a new area can deepen our perspectives and open our minds. 

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Kate Haas

Arc de Triomphe. This famous landmark is one of the most popular tourist sites of Paris. It represents an important part of the history of the country.