At any age, living in an RV might seem like a radical lifestyle choice, but when you’re young it can seem like an especially compulsive decision. While everyone else seems to acquire mortgages and have little ones, you might find yourself yearning for a different, less traditional way of life, and you’re not alone in this longing. Traveling is an eye-opening experience that can dramatically change your perceptions of the world and your own capabilities too. And the earlier you make these discoveries, the better. Check out our top 6 reasons you should live in an RV during your 20’s, and set off to spend the most pivotal years of your life living large on the open road!
1. The Freedom To Find Yourself
There is nothing quite like in-depth travel to give you a good dose of character development. In your 20’s, not only are you starting to form your own opinions about the world, but you’re just beginning to truly discover yourself too. Living in an RV not only gives you the freedom to call the shots and the flexibility to dictate your own journey, but it also gives you the opportunity to learn about yourself and who you really are in relation to who you want to become. RVing is a gateway to enlightenment, because it forces you to test your resiliency and rise to the challenges you put yourself in.
2. Reconnection With the Living World
The college landscape is largely dominated by classroom walls and whiteboards, frat-style house parties, and sprawling concrete campuses. Post-college, you might be overwhelmed with how bored or exhausted you’ve become of the zealous crowds and institutionalized setting, and you might find yourself with a craving to reconnect with nature, simplicity, and the living world. Going RVing is one of the best ways to reengage with the great outdoors and foster a new, more mature sense of appreciation for the natural world.
3. New Experiences, People, and Places
Regardless of what direction you set off in, when you hit the road in an RV you can feel confident that new experiences will find you along the way! Gain exposure to new cultures and beliefs as you meet new, interesting people along your journey. Discover amazing destinations and witness the wonders of the world first hand. Trying new things will expand your comfort zone and broaden your horizons. Not only will you return from your travels with new friends, you’ll also have plenty of interesting stories and tales to tell your old friends back home!
4. The Opportunity To Make Mistakes
Having the chance to make mistakes is vital to acquiring a full and well-rounded education. Living in an RV is challenging and you’re not going to make all of the right moves right away. For each mistake you make, you can feel confident that it is one less mistake you’re likely to repeat in the future. Enduring struggles, even the ones caused by your own error, can boost your esteem by making you more self-sufficient. In that post-collegiate haze of ignorance and over-education, it can be easy to convince yourself that you know everything you could ever need to about the world, but living in an RV will teach you the reality of the situation, which is that your life’s education has only just begun.
5. The Timing is Right
In your 20’s, it can feel like you have a shrinking window of time to make decisions free from the restrictions of a growing family and blooming career. Logically, there isn’t a more practical time to take a long trip than when your in your 20’s because it will probably be the point in your life when you are most free from burden and responsibility. It can be easy to postpone your dreams of travel, but as you get older and grow more settled, it will become harder and harder for you to travel and see all those sights that have accumulated on your bucket list. It’s better to travel when your young and the timing is right, than to regret never having traveled once you’re older and no longer able.
6. Affordability & Cost Efficiency
In early adulthood, monetary funds are usually in short supply, which can make the idea of traveling seem out of the question. When you consider the cost of renting however, living in an RV can actually be one of the most affordable ways to live, save up money, and pay off student debt. You can get a relatively nice used RV that will eliminate the need for monthly rent expenses. Unlike renting, RVs are also an investment that can reap some financial return down the road. While the initial purchase of an RV can seem steep, in the long run, it will end up saving you money.
Remember, it’s better to regret the chances you took, rather than regret the ones you never did! There won’t ever be a better or more pivotal moment in your life to travel than when you are in your 20’s, so if the timing is right for you, make the jump! There will be challenges, people may doubt your sanity, and along the journey you might even question your capabilities too, but once the journey is over and you realize the strong, independent person that traveling has allowed you to become, you will be so grateful that you dared to escape the ordinary in order to seek out the extraordinary!
