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Favorite Travel Moments

Published on September 4, 2019September 6, 2019 by Skylar M. BeckLeave a comment

Recently I’ve been reflecting on all the incredible places I’ve traveled to over the last couple years. I made a list of my top five most memorable travel moments and experiences. It’s a beautiful thing to be able to look back on photos and moments captured while traveling. Here’s my most memorable travel moments yet:

Basalt Columns

Cinque Terre, Italy

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Iceland, West Coast. I dreamed of visiting Iceland for several years and this past spring I finally made it there for a week long visit. While I was there, I wanted to see as much of the country as I possibly could. One day during my trip, I drove along the West coast. This full day of traveling along the coast was the most memorable day. The scenery from my car window felt unreal, and as cheesy as it sounds, I felt like I was dreaming. It was as if the scenery around me was too good to be true.

Cinque Terre, Italy. When I reminisce on Cinque Terre, the postcard photo of Manarola flashes in my mind. The beautiful colored houses all stacked on top of each other perfectly framing the mediterranean sea. Over the past year I went to Cinque Terre twice. The most memorable moment for me was the day a friend and I decided to have a picnic in the second town, Vernazza. We were determined to find a picturesque view that overlooked the town from above. The spot was along the walking trail towards Monterroso. It took us so long to find the spot and at one point before finding it, I was hot, frustrated, and ready to give up and have our picnic somewhere else. At the last moment, we found the spot and I immediately felt silly for becoming so upset. This is one of my favorite travel moments, It served as a reminder to be more present and focus on things other than getting the prettiest photo. It ended up being a lovely afternoon with a friend, a small picnic, and a stunning view.
Interlaken, Switzerland. Last winter I went to Switzerland with a goal to paraglide over the alps. Paragliding over the town and through the alps will always be a special travel moment of mine. I felt so calm and stable gliding so high above. I truly felt present and aware of what was going around me without any distractions, pure bliss.
New Zealand, Tongario Alpine Crossing. Almost two years ago I traveled throughout New Zealand for three weeks. I made so many incredible memories during this trip but my favorite day is when I went on a ten mile hike. Tongario Alpine Crossing is a stunning hike that highlights several stunning views and landmarks of New Zealand. I felt more accomplished than I had in months when I made it to the top.

5. Cliffs of Moher, Ireland. I still remember the first time I visited Ireland. I was traveling alone and at the time feeling homesick and ready to return home. On one of my last days in Ireland, I decided to take a day trip to see the Cliffs of Moher. Taking this day trip was the best decision I made during my solo travel. The cliffs were beyond stunning and like nothing I had ever seen before. There was a sense of calm air blowing all around the tourists walking along the steep edge. I could have spent hours starring in amazement at the cliffs. So green, tall, and full of mystery. The cliffs reminded me how big and beautiful the world is and it should be continuously explored.

Lessons I Learned in College

Published on May 9, 2018May 9, 2018 by Skylar M. Beck3 Comments

Well the time has finally come…I’m graduating college this weekend! These have been the fastest four years yet but some that I’ll cherish forever. My college years had typical ups and downs but I’m thankful for the important life lessons I’ve learned. Since this is a huge milestone for me I decided to reflect on some of the most important lessons I learned in college…

Trust. For a long time, and still sometimes now, I looked for validation from other people’s reactions or responses to my actions. Slowly, I am learning that I should trust my own intuition and believe that what I think of my actions and of myself is all that matters.
How to Be Alone. This was a topic I wrote about in my last post, it’s a fairly recent lesson I learned while traveling through Europe alone. Learning to be alone has been one of the greatest lessons I learned in college. This may have come naturally as I matured, but being alone and enjoying being alone is something I’m happy I have become comfortable with.
Face Fears. Acknowledging what scared and scares me can be extremely diffifult. It was so easy and can still be for a number of things in my life to make excuses as to why I couldn’t do something. Usually things are a lot scarier in my head than in reality, and almost always what I want most is on the other side of my fear.
Knowing Myself Lead to Loving Myself. After high school, when I felt like the worst was over, I entered a completely new and different phase of life that confused me all over again: college. I had to get to know myself in this phase which took a long time. This is probably one of the most important lessons I learned in college: when you know yourself, you can learn to love yourself. Nothing else will fall into place until this happens.
Life is a Lot Easier When I Don’t Focus on What Others Think of Me. High school and the early stages of college were a difficult time where I wanted to fit in and stand out among my peers. But the problem was, I had little confidence. I was constantly worried about what other people thought of me. After what felt like a long time, it became clear that the fear I created in my head about what people thought of me was my own insecure imagination. Once I realized that, it was as if a huge weight was lifted.
Pain is a Valuable Lesson. Strength can come from pain. Although pain is difficult to handle and at times out of our control, it gives countless lessons for the future.
Having Several Different Interests is Okay. When I first started college, I felt the pressure to pick a major and plan for my future career. I realized that I don’t need to only pick one field that interests me, I can have multiple and still accomplish my goals.
What You Make of It is What You Get. The media and society in general tend to create an image of what college is “supposed to be like” and I learned quickly that college is what you make of it. The influence or pressure from peers isn’t going to be the “true college experience”, everyone has a personal college experience and that is perfectly okay.
Seize Every Opportunity. This relates to facing my fears but college opened my eyes to a variety of opportunities. There are some opportunities I didn’t take but after a while I realized that this is the time to take on every thing life offers!
The Sky is the Limit. Throughout college, I had a tendency to believe once college ended, so would all the fun. But I have come to realize that although this part of my life is coming to an end, this is only the beginning. I am about to start an entirely new phase of my life and the best is yet to come.

Advice on Traveling Solo

Published on May 1, 2018March 30, 2019 by Skylar M. Beck2 Comments

Last summer I went on quite a few solo adventures. Since then, I sometimes forget how scared I used to be to do basically anything alone. I used to hate going to stores alone, I never would even think about going out to dinner alone, and I definitely didn’t think I could travel to 7 countries by myself. But I’m here to tell you, it’s possible and sometimes a little push is all it takes. Most things are scarier in your head than in reality…which is exactly what I learned.

Since it has almost been one year since my Europe adventure last summer, I thought I would share the benefits and tips I learned from traveling solo!

Benefits

Learning How to be Alone is One of the Most Valuable Lessons in Life. Before I left, the thought of traveling alone and being alone was scary to me. What if I ran into trouble? Who would I talk to? Who would take my pictures? Would I be lonely? I quickly came to realize that traveling alone made every new place and adventure a bit more meaningful because I didn’t feel pressure to experience it all with anyone other than myself. The first time I went to Florence, Italy, I visited Michelangelo’s magnificent ‘David’ and I ended up staying for two hours! I didn’t have to share that moment with anyone and it was magical.
You Get to Know Yourself. I honestly don’t think there’s any better way to get to know yourself. I learned more and more about my fears, limits and joys all while having the time of my life.
The Trip is YOURS. This is the BEST part of a solo adventure! I made my own itinerary, ate when I wanted to, spent extra time here and there, went back to places more than once…the list goes on. The trip becomes what you want it to be. I typically always have a long bucket list of places I want to see in a new place and it’s usually not very exciting to people I would normally travel with. Traveling alone allowed me to freely check items off my personal bucket list!
You’ll Feel Liberated. There’s nothing better than looking back and thinking “I did that!”
You Are Able to be More Aware and Present. Personally, I felt like I had the opportunity to take in my surroundings more than usual because I was experiencing everything alone. It was a rare experience where I truly felt present in the moment.

Tips

Don’t Be Afraid to Reach Out to Strangers. This is something I learned to do slowly because it’s outside of my comfort zone to strike up a conversation with strangers. But, sometimes strangers can be comforting while visiting a new place. I met a lot of people who reminded me of my family members or friends back home and it felt nice to have small talk with someone who brought me familiarly. Also, reaching out to strangers is helpful as a solo traveler if you need a picture taken!
Reflect Everyday. When I traveled last summer, I kept a journal with me and wrote about my day each night. There are so many little details that can easily be forgotten so it’s nice to have a written record of your adventure.
Take a Lot of Pictures. Some of the best memories can be captured with a photo and later bring you back to the feeling you had in that moment.
Pack Comfort Items. Although traveling solo is liberating and fun, it’s normal to miss home. I suggest bringing along something you can wear or carry that reminds you of home.
Research, Research, Research. When traveling to a new place, especially alone, it’s important to research safe areas and recommendations. During my time in Europe there were a couple cities that I should’ve researched more carefully when choosing a place to stay overnight. Last minute changes are even more stressful alone too so it’s best to be extra prepared.

17 Lessons 2017 Taught Me

Published on December 29, 2017March 12, 2018 by Skylar M. BeckLeave a comment

2017 was an life changing year for me. This past year taught me so much about myself and my goals in life. The personal growth I gained will be something I will carry with me throughout my future. Here are 17 most memorable lessons 2017 taught me:

1. Do the things that scare you the most.

All of a sudden before I left for Europe this summer I started to feel scared. Maybe I shouldn’t go, I don’t know what I’m doing, how will I survive alone in a foreign country? Ironically, I stumbled on a quote that read: “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” This hit me hard, it was the truest quote I could have read. I knew I wanted to see the world and travel. And once I arrived in Italy this summer and once I returned home I was thankful I overcame my fears.

2. Confidence can begin when you get to know yourself.

Traveling alone gave me the opportunity to only focus on myself. With my full attention on myself, I started to get to know myself more than I thought was possible. I learned my limits, my goals, my insecurities, my hopes, everything. And once I started to know myself, I felt more confident in myself which I was able to show to the world.

3. It’s okay to be alone.

Before this year, I was the type of person who felt uncomfortable being alone in a public place. I constantly worried what people must think of me. Do I look lonely out to eat alone? It was frightening. However, this past summer, I was forced to be alone. So much so that I began to enjoy it to the point where I usually prefer it now. Being alone doesn’t mean I was lonely, and people are never really thinking about me like I feared they were.

4. Learning doesn’t just happen in the classroom.

When I arrived to Italy this summer, I took a class for 5 weeks. However, most of my learning happened when I wasn’t in the classroom. I learned so much about different cultures and communication even with a language barrier. Having the ability to travel to so many different countries taught me more about the world than any teacher could in a classroom.

5. Physical health is important.

This year for the first time I really became serious about my health. I had always depended on sports when I was in high school and that momentum stayed with me throughout my first few years of college. But after traveling throughout Europe and thinking I could eat anything I wanted and still look the same… reality hit me. I was not making smart decisions about my health. Exercising is important but eating healthy meals is just as or even more important. It’s also important to remember that eating differently to improve health is not a diet, it’s a lifestyle. I want to carry my enthusiasm to live a healthy lifestyle in my future.

6. It’s important to branch out and meet new people.

Similarly, to #3, I used to be content with spending time with the same people. Mostly because I was scared to make new friends. This year I had the chance to meet several new people while I was traveling alone and it made such a difference. It was so satisfying to spend time with new people and to learn about their life. Making new connections is important and another fear that shouldn’t have stopped me from branching out sooner.

7. Being present in the moment is rare but necessary.

Being present in the moment is something so rare, especially with all of the distractions our electronic devices provide. While I was in New Zealand, I participated in several outdoor activities. Most of these activities were physically challenging but because of this I was able to be in the moment. During one of the hikes on the North Island, the mountain became very steep so out of fear for dropping my phone, I put it away in my backpack. By doing so it was as if my eyes were finally opened by all of the amazing beauty around me. I was able to sit along the hike to savor my surroundings and for once, I felt completely present in the moment.

8. Constantly remind yourself of your goals.

A lot will be changing for me next year and so this year I really had to think about my future and what I want. Once I determined my academic, career, and personal goals I decided to place reminders all around myself. I discussed this in depth in a previous post but since doing this simple task, I feel so encouraged to keep working harder because I have a vision that I want to achieve.

9. Save money.

This is a new goal of mine that I finally feel serious about. Budgeting is important and the sooner I start the better my savings account will be. Since I’m a student I don’t have much income yet but next year I want to make an extra effort to save as much money as possible.

10. Waking up early does help with productivity throughout the day.

This past year I started waking up earlier even when I didn’t have class or anything really to do. I was drawn to the thought of having more time throughout the day. This wasn’t easy for me at first but going to bed earlier definitely helped me wake up earlier in the mornings. By doing this I found I really like the mornings and having a small routine I can look forward to. *this routine has been lost due to the holidays* I hope to continue this habit in the new year.

11. I am my own best friend and that is enough.

There is clearly a theme between the lessons I learned…by getting to know myself I started to understand that even though I have some of the best friends and family members; I am the only person I can truly count on. Once I realized that I wasn’t as disappointed anymore when things happened to me. It’s a hard lesson but it’s also an incredible blessing.

12. Don’t take pictures just to post.

Social media is truly not important. I feel like it’s a common habit to fall into especially as a blogger who loves Instagram but not everything has to be documented. People usually don’t really care about everything going on in someone else’s life anyways. I started to recognize that privacy is important and should be practiced more often.

13. Attachment leads to disappointment (duh).

I know this is a given but I really started to understand this lesson more this year. The more I started going into situations with zero expectations, the better I felt. This is another hard lesson that I want to continue to be aware of and practice in the new year.

14. Being with my family makes me the happiest.

I think this lesson became more relevant to me since I was away from my family this year traveling. I started to appreciated home and where I was from more once I met other people and saw other cities. Being with my family is home in itself and those connections make me the happiest and most likely will always make me the happiest.

15. Collect memories, not things.

This is a lesson I learned this summer. I made so many incredible memories while I traveled that will stay with me throughout my life. The memories I made have a greater value than any souvenir I could have bought.

16. Be patient with all things.

Patience is definitely not one of my strengths. But this year I started to learn that when I am patient, eventually good things will come. There is so much uncertainty in life but I want to be patient with all things: love, school, my future. Being patient will allow me to enjoy the present rather than worrying about the future.

17. It’s about the effort you put into the process not about the end outcome.

This is another hard lesson. I think it was common for me to stress about the end outcome of a situation rather than focusing on the process to get to the end. Usually, the effort I put into the process will determine the end outcome in most cases. It’s similar to being present in the moment rather than worrying about the future.

Travel Talk

Published on December 13, 2017March 12, 2018 by Skylar M. BeckLeave a comment

For the last two weeks I’ve been traveling throughout New Zealand. The whole experience has been incredible so far and I’m unbelievably thankful for the opportunity. While I’ve been in this beautiful country a lot of my friends and family back home have been commenting on my pictures and craving to know about every new experience I encounter. Because of this, over the past few days I’ve done a lot of reflecting about my travel experiences over the summer and right now. I think it’s too easy to believe a person has a perfect life or is constantly having the best time. With all of the social media constantly presented to us everyday, it is easy to make your life appear to be something it is not. This is concerning to me for many reasons. However, this is not to take away from the gratitude I feel from traveling; it’s simply to point out that just because a person’s life appears to be amazing, a picture does not reflect everything. Therefore, I want to introduce a new category to my blog called: Travel Talk. This will focus on reflections about my travel experiences that people may not see by looking at one of my edited photos.

So to begin…I’m currently traveling through New Zealand in a large group with fellow peers from my home university. Traveling in a large group is never easy. There are days when I want to separate from the group completely because I’m so irritated. And there are days I am thankful to have company. There are days when we have a long bus ride and have to stop for lunch at a McDonald’s or a grocery store because we are in a rush. And there are days where we have the chance to find a nice authentic restaurant with great wine and food. There are days where there isn’t any wifi or service which prevents me from talking with my loved one back home. And there are days where my hostel has the best wifi imaginable. There are days where I feel annoyed, angry, and homesick. And there are days where I am overwhelmed with gratitude, happiness, and peace.

All of these feelings and experiences are normal for any traveler. Yet, the negative experiences are something that is never discussed or presented. It’s important to remember that nobody’s life is perfect. Everyone experiences a range of emotions even while traveling in a beautiful place. There is nothing to be ashamed of for feeling low sometimes. It’s also perfectly fine to admit that even though this trip has been incredible so far, it hasn’t always been fun. I believe it’s important to look at the bigger picture when I find myself feeling down. Yes I may feel homesick some days but I’m in New Zealand right now!! Which is a place I never imagined myself traveling to.

This is a picture of me in Queenstown with a beautiful view from the Skyline restaurant. What you didn’t know: the food was terrible!

This is a picture of me hiking on the Hooker Valley trail which was one of my favorite hikes. What you didn’t know: At this point in the trip I hadn’t been able to do laundry so the clothes I’m wearing were already dirty.

Photo Diary: Tongariro Alpine Trek

Published on December 5, 2017March 12, 2018 by Skylar M. BeckLeave a comment

Greetings from New Zealand! I’ve had trouble finding reliable wifi so unfortunately I haven’t been able to write a blog post. This past week has been incredible! I’ve done a lot of adventous activities. So far my favorite has been a 10 mile hike on the Tongariro Alpine Trek. The views from the trek were breath taking. I’ve never seen anything like it before, it felt like another world.