What could you live without?

There are many things I could live without – homework, tests, chores, and cauliflower just to name a few. But none of these answers are interesting because they are things that most people hate. On the other hand, most people like to travel. I do not. 

Of course I am privileged to say this. For some people, getting to leave their state or country can be a lifelong goal. I don’t mean to complain about traveling, but I will explain why, most of the time, I prefer to just stay home.

Travel often feels like an unjustified amount of time and effort for experiences that never match expectations. Beyond these subjective measures, travel has objective downsides. Hotels, transportation, food, and entertainment can all get expensive. People who travel in cities often go shopping, which is expensive, and they buy things they don’t need. These unnecessary items, coupled with the effect of transportation, are harmful to the environment.

Obviously people know that trips involve trade-offs, but most still choose to travel because the pleasures outweigh the negatives. Traveling also feels more justified when you do activities that you could not do at home. For example, my family likes to go to Broadway shows and art museums, which both require travel. On the other hand, there’s not much that I like to do that requires travelling, so often the negatives of a trip, and the opportunity costs, outweigh the pleasure. Going to a Yankees game is cool, but I don’t enjoy it that much more than watching a game at home. Going to the beach is also nice, but I'd probably have more fun playing tennis at the park.

Another important factor is that I much prefer the comfort of my house to any hotel. I like having my bed, bathroom, and all my stuff. At home, I can sleep in until noon, but if I do that on vacation, I feel guilty for wasting precious time. At home I have more freedom, whereas on vacation, my schedule is more dependent on my family. At home I can hang out with friends and my cats. My friends and my cats do not come on vacations with me. I know some people find it boring to be at home, but I always feel like there is something interesting to do. 

Not all vacations are equal. While my first choice is staying home, I still vastly prefer short trips with planned events and locations (like shows, games, or monuments) over long trips or aimless wandering. I have little preference between nature and cities for day trips, but I detest camping.

There are two trips per year that I really enjoy. Almost every year, I go to California and New York to visit family. I enjoy these trips because they are not too different from being at home. The places are familiar, we typically stay in houses instead of hotels, and I do most of the same things I do at home with occasional day trips to the city (San Francisco or New York City). Still, I wouldn’t go on these trips without the familial obligation. 

I already feel like I could do with one or less trips per year, but to completely abstain I would need to live somewhere more interesting than Champaign. 

Even then, however, I think I would eventually get the urge to travel. There are “bucket list” destinations and activities that I am curious to experience. I have crossed off some items, like going to Disney World and seeing a Celtics game, and I am very thankful for those experiences, but I’m happy to work my way through the rest of my list slowly.

Ultimately, I think travel is important for a fulfilling life, and I appreciate the opportunities that I have had to do so, but I think that I enjoy it far less than most people.