Why students shouldn’t travel in Western Europe

There are a few important reasons why this might not be the best destination for students
A summer backpacking trip to Europe is something of a cliche, and that's only one reason why it's not ideal for a student's first major solo trip abroad.

We recently discussed the reasons why students should travel as their first option, but of course for every point there is a counter-point. The most obvious answer isn’t always the best answer, and there are plenty of compelling reasons to start somewhere else on your first solo journey as an adult. Here are some of those reasons so you can decide for yourself:

Been There, Done That
If you asked 10 people who’d just returned from a summer trip to Europe to describe their itinerary, chances are at least 8 of them would sound virtually identical. People stay in the same hostel in London England when they arrive and meet up again at the same hostel in Paris. They are surrounded by English-speaking travelers and tend to travel in groups, insulating themselves from the outside culture as much as possible. Trips like this can be a lot of fun, but when you look back afterward you’ll tend to remember the people you met from your hometown or that great party at the hostel instead of things about the places you actually visited.

Prices

Western Europe is extraordinarily expensive. Backpackers will find their budgets - and options - extremely limited. Unless you are the trust fund-type, you’ll probably actually have to constantly make sacrifices while traveling just in order to afford to eat a couple times each day. Many people set out on a big trip with a medium sized budget and are shocked when the little things like internet access and local transportation keep adding up to so much every day. Going on a vacation is supposed to be fun, but living on cheese sandwiches for dinner half the time gets old pretty quickly. You could head to Latin America and live very nicely on the same budget, or head to Central Asia and live like a king on those same funds.

Too Easy
Some travelers have complained that Europe is 'too easy' and too closely related to being in their home country. You have to try it for yourself at least once to see how you feel about it, but taken the road most traveled can be a disappointment for adventurous types. It can actually take a lot of effort just to break out of the English-speaking student backpacker bubble, even when you are in one of the lesser-known cities. If your main goal is to challenge yourself and expand your horizons, then Europe is the little league.