Today could of been just another day sitting outside pretending to be productive but really just watching netflix. Not this is necessarily bad, but it's a tad mundane.  However, it is no ordinary day because I received an email from Elite Daily that they published my article for their culture vertical! Naturally, my initial reaction was nothing short of a child's reaction to meeting Mickey Mouse for the first time. I could not be more proud to have my first article published and see what everyone thinks! I guess we all have a little PAB in us after all. 

Read it. Love it. Live it. 

People will always say traveling alone is the best way to do it. That there's no better way to get to know yourself than being by yourself. But... I have always felt sharing experiences with people only make them better. Make sure when you plan your trips to surround yourself by people who bring out the best of you and push yourself out of your comfort zone. After all, the only thing worse than being in a car for 12 hours next to a stranger, is being in a car next to a frenemy who makes you want to pull the hair right out of their head the whole ride, trust me. 

The beauty of going somewhere with multiple personalities is that they will force you to do things you never would have and each person brings something different to your adventure. I've met so many personalities on my trips and breaks, and there always those few individuals who make your experience 500x better than you imagined. Always travel with these people. Always.

1. The 'Up for anything' guy: they are literally up for anything. Whether it's wearing animal onesies and running around the city in the middle of the night or a last minute concert, they are the first one in line and ready to go.

2. The Fun one: this person can turn going to the grocery store into an absolute party. They make sure everyone is having fun and loving life no matter what the activity. Their optimism spreads like wild fire. 

3. The Voice of reason: so necessary. They have the map, the have the translation app, and they've already checked the prices and menu's for where to go to dinner. Even if at times you want to ring their Type A neck, they make sure your trip goes smoothly so you can focus on livin la vida loca. 

4. The Closet: the only thing more amazing than their out of this world personality is their to die for wardrobe. After all, sharing is caring and who has money to pay for an extra checked bag. 

5. The Mom: you know Mary Poppin's magical bag? They have one. Cut your foot, stain your dress, break a heel- they got you covered. Not to mention they are always there to make you late night drunk cookies and then hungover brunch the next day. 

I've seen enough spring break specials and movies to have a basic understanding of a typical spring break. Days on the beach filled with friends, music, clubs and the prettiest most insta-worthy margaritas. Yes, this is considered a rite of passage for many and the perfect end to an eventful college career, but there are alternative paths you can take, and they are just as, if not more, rewarding. 

To start, a disclaimer-- I am not being self righteous. I do not look down on people who have these awesomely fun spring breaks, I've had my share of care free weeks with not-so-alternative activities (i.e my whole week in Italy). But this is my spring break reflection, and my urge for everyone to experience the magic of an alternative break at least once before graduating. 

I went to Immokalee, FL with 53 basically strangers to learn, immerse myself in the culture and become familiar with the struggle and lifestyles of  migrant workers. I had the most amazing, growing experience that I couldn't possible put into words or share with others (although this is my mediocre attempt).  I worked with organizations who are unknown to the rest of the world but crucial to their local communities. They give voices to an invisible population and try to build a sense of community and hope in Immokalee. I went into this break knowing close to nothing about migrant workers, and left realizing that there are not migrant workers. There are people who are migrant workers. People who have individual stories; individual struggles, lifestyles, and pasts. I wouldn't have gotten this out of my break if it weren't for those 53 basically strangers who experienced this with me. 

Being in college I had let myself live in a bubble. I have my close group of friends, my patterned lifestyle and standard conversations. This trip brought adventures and experiences like no other. I saw incredible wealth disparity, I helped package 8,000 lbs of rice, I even witnessed A COW GIVING BIRTH! (Shout out to new baby calf UConn). And after all that, I still think that there is nothing more refreshing as sharing an experience like this with people who are open, engaged and don't have preconceived notions of who you are. I met people who I pass everyday on my way to class but never bothered to introduce myself too. Now that I have, and now that I've heard their stories, I learned that each of these beautiful people can teach me something new. I left Immokalee more knowledgeable about people who are migrant workers but also about myself. And that's something I would not have gotten if I had not gone an alternative break. 

Picking the right hostel can make or break your weekend getaway. While chances are you will not be stuck in a room with psychopathic crazed murderer, leaving Paris with bedbugs and lice seems just as bad. I've had an array of experiences and feel like I have finally gotten a hold on the do's and don'ts of picking your dream hostel without sacrificing your budget or first born child. 

1. The key to a great place is all about the location. You want to be close enough to the main sites you're interested in but also not in tourist capital. Do your research - ask around and make sure where you are staying is a safe neighborhood. Yes you want to be near the fun and action, but if your place is next door to a *brothel, I advise looking elsewhere.                                                                    *Yes, I know people who have had this happen.


2. Reviews are your new best friend. Do not, I repeat, do NOT set the little sorter button to "price lowest to highest" and pick the first one. While you may not see the difference in a room for ten dollars verse eighteen for a night, the reviews can tell you another story. Make sure to see what people have to say about cleanliness, the staff and location! 
   


3. Have a preempt list of what amenities are a must for you. If you can't live with out social media for two days (I know, the struggle) make sure the hostel offers Wi-fi. Most do have complimentary internet or some sort of public computer station. If they try to charge you, find another place. This is 2015... we deserve some proper Wi-fi! Other extras you might want to look out for our complimentary breakfasts, indoor bars -yes some hostels have bars right in the building, but please remember to venture outside the hostel too- and organized activities & tours!


4. Look for info on the staff.  Finding a place with a helpful staff who can provide you with resources and tips during your visit is like hitting the jackpot. They work there, chances are they know the hottest spots, best tours, and how to get the most out of your visit.                                                                                                                                                         
5. The BEST part of your hostel stay is of course the amazing travelers you get to meet. With so many interesting people backpacking, passing through in both groups and on their own, you're bound to make some weekend pals. When I stayed in Florence, my friends and I shared a room with a guy (whom we soon named Oliver) from Canada who was doing a culinary apprenticeship across Italy (Food connoisseur  + Italy = best roomie ever).  He was able to bring us to the most authentic, amazing restaurants we had ever been too. I still dream of the Spaghetti glio e olio  I had on my first night in Florence. Point is, you never know who you will meet and how they can add to your story! 
   

Everywhere you look you will find a tattoo, a wall hanging or a Pinterest board, all dedicated to wanderlust. When will someone stop to realize wanderlust is just that- it’s a lust, a desire to go travel and seek adventure, it is not an act or lifestyle at all. Instead of all this planning and wanting, we should be spending that time doing. They don’t say youth is wasted on the young for nothing; it is time to discover your own excursions rather than wasting away reading about those of others. Maybe you can’t go to Europe on a whim or a runaway to Australia for the winter but there is nothing stopping you from exploring a local hiking spot or road tripping across a few states to see a kick ass concert. Excitement and opportunities to live are all around us, so why miss out waiting for something better?

The term wanderlust doesn’t represent a twenty something jet setter living in foreign cities and visiting the wonders of the world. It is a behind the scenes craving. A longing to become the people we see in the picturesque Instagram accounts and blogs we follow. If you are anything like me, you are probably reading this while simultaneously browsing flight prices, destination vacations and any opportunity to go abroad you can.  Dreaming big is not a crime, it is an ambition. Dream as loud and cliché as you can. If you want to backpack through Europe after graduation, you go glen coco. If you want to make three figures and live in the city by 25, I’ll be first at your door with the congratulations champagne (seriously, invite me to the party). The trouble is when our aspirations turn into tunnel vision and freeze our immediate chances to live. Dreaming and reality have become contradictions in our society, they turn the brightest and most hopeful of people into hypocrites. We dream extravagantly but live routinely.

After all, not everyone can just deplete their savings, stick it to the man and quit their crappy job to backpack in Europe for a year. Living in the city in your tailor-made apartment may be financially out of reach. In life, sometimes we must be realistic (something I try to do as little as possible). Fun fact- being realistic does not correlate to being boring. Stop feeling like not running away to an exotic place makes you a failure. The stories you read are not the only adventures to be had. There are countless opportunities and experiences waiting for us if we just seek them out. There is not a town in this world that doesn’t offer something unique and new. Going to a locally brewery with friends, making a competition of thrift store finds and revisiting your favorite childhood amusement park are all ways to pass the day without your bed and Netflix. While these daily trips may not be your end goal or the insane adventure you have been pinning and fantasizing over, they are a way to live rather than wait. 

Next time you are sitting in your air conditioned living room sulking over others exciting lives, realize the only thing stopping you is you.  Cliché but true, a one track mind and stubbornness are the two things getting in the way from turning a mundane Sunday into a time-of-your-life Sunday.  So while ‘being realistic’ may be the most spirit crushing phrase in the English language, transform it into motivation. A giant middle finger to the haters who say you can’t have fun while living at home or being a broke college student. As long as you have good company and the ability to try new things, do it. Keep dreaming and longing for your exotic adventures, but don’t let the wanderlust stop you from actually wandering.