By Kevin Coleman

Long ago, exploring was an actual profession. Bold men were rewarded substantial funds in exchange for their courageous expeditions that would simultaneously bestow upon them both fame and glory. Though the world has seemed to run out of places to be discovered, the spirit of exploration still lives on in humanity. Though popular belief is that college is the right step following high school, I seek the wisdom of a different in-depth education; an extensive lesson in the beauty of life abroad.

For those who do take the leap into ill-financed travel, a college education is normally already achieved. I would be more than happy to sit around in college if it was bought and paid for, but due to fiscal limitations, I would have to borrow money and pay it off myself. This is the case for many American college students; however I fail to accept this debt burdening scam.

Combining my dissidence of America’s educational paradigm with my inherent human desire to explore, I have chosen to embark on foreign travels following my release from Walled Lake Central. Some elders are excited by my plan, others confounded by the very notion of avoiding college. I expected to utilize the advice of others, but the growing variety in the responses I receive has left me knowing not what to think.

I see clearly the position of those who do not want to leave America, but just the same I cannot understand why a creature possessing free will would want to live out its days in one place. The value of home and family is priceless, but even the most wholesome happiness cannot compare to the uncertain mystique posed by life on the road. Love and family is something worth waiting for, and traveling can only broaden the mind and assure a more carefully procured relationship.

A college degree is essential for a wide range of standard professions, so if you think you have it figured out, then go for it. I do not wish to talk you out of accomplishing your professional goals. I have chosen to take the step towards travel because you really do not get a lot of opportunity in life. Working life is a reality, and is quickly becoming the reality of my generation. I do not wish to avoid the inevitable by walking the world; I only wish to learn the true meaning of it all before I get there.