13 Invaluable Lessons That Prove How Important It Is to Experience Traveling Alone

"Traveling alone is my favorite way to experience the world! It has taught me how to quiet my thoughts (not easy for me) and take in new experiences with an open mind and heart. It has taught me more about people, including myself. It has taught me to take risks I wouldn't have taken otherwise. It has given me confidence that if I can do this, I can do anything!" — Hilary White, POPSUGAR editor, Travel, Smart Living, and Love & Sex

"I have been traveling solo for a long time, and I have a nice story for you. A couple of days ago, my Uber driver from Cuba asked me, 'Is the US different from where you're from? Are people different?' I always have the same answer to that question: once you start traveling a lot and meeting people from all over the world, people are really the same! Different looks/shapes, but you start noticing that we all belong to the human race. It may sound cheesy, but it is very true. I am from Saudi Arabia, and I moved to the US alone after high school (around seven years ago)." — Saif Al-Sobaihi, POPSUGAR equipment coordinator

"I had very much been dependent on someone else for my entire life for travel. Whether it be my parents, my friends, or my significant other, someone else would always do all the planning. I am very much the introvert. Toward the end of my last relationship, at 33, I was forced to finally take a camping/hiking trip by myself to a place I've never been before, and it was the greatest experience I've ever done and hands down my favorite trip. I had never experienced such freedom and true relaxation to not be asking, 'Well, what do you want to do? What do you think about this?'

"When I got back to the land of the internet, I immediately booked another camping/hiking trip for a few months later. However, being a short female (5'0"), I did purchase a new machete! A lesson learned was to double-check everything twice because you don't have that other person saying, 'Don't forget to pack this!' . . . and I did forget to pack a few things the first time around. Another lesson is just having more knowledge for future solo trips, and I've become more bold because of them." — Angie Woo, POPSUGAR ad trafficker

"It made me realize and also forever accept that I have absolutely zero sense of direction . . . and that it will 100 percent never change. So don't be afraid to stop and ask for directions in whatever language you're trying to learn." — Murphy Moroney, POPSUGAR assistant editor, Moms

"Last month, I took two weeks for a solo 'eat, pray, love' trip from the top to bottom of Italy (although it turned into mostly an 'eat' trip, unless you count my trip to the Vatican). I learned some valuable life lessons, like how many carbs are too many carbs, Instagram stories reign supreme over Snapchat stories, always bring spare phone battery packs, and always read the reviews before you book an Airbnb.

"On a more serious note, traveling alone allows for a significant amount of self-reflection between all of the train rides, long walks, and solo meals. Having so little human contact (aside from the ciaos and grazies), forces you to have all of the contact with your inner self. Taking advantage of this helped me to decide on a career change and cleared myself of everything stressful that had happened in the past few months. Traveling alone can be daunting, but it is well worth it, and at least you'll get way better at taking selfies by the end of it!" — Neysa Smith, associate director at Digital Investment

"I traveled for three years around the world (Australia, Thailand, and South America), so I've got lots to say. There were a lot of takeaways, but I think the most valuable thing I gained was a much stronger sense of verbal communication. I was forced to interact with a wide range of people from many different backgrounds (sometimes dealing with a strong language barrier).

"Plus, I had to put myself out there and get out of my comfort zone so many times, so I learned how to effectively communicate in a unique way that I was never taught in school. Overall, my travels just made me a lot bolder as well. I became much more likely to take risks, go after what I really want, and speak up in difficult times rather than backing down!" — Gina Florio, POPSUGAR editor, Fitness

"I traveled to Nepal by myself for two months when I was 23. The experience taught me to really appreciate quiet moments alone, to open myself up to new experiences and adventures, and that I can actually come up with pretty creative solutions to problems when I need to (like selling used books for bus fare when I ran out of money in a town with no ATMs)." — Stacy Hersher, POPSUGAR director, Social & Partnerships

"When I traveled abroad in Europe on my own after college (London to Amsterdam to Italy), I learned so much about myself. It 100 percent made me more independent; it gave me the confidence to rely on myself and trust my instincts.

"It also made me realize how much I love traveling with my husband (or any great travel buddy) now, because while I wouldn't want to miss out on seeing parts of the world just because I had no one to go with, traveling solo makes me appreciate experiencing new places with someone else." — Christine Harrison, POPSUGAR project manager

"I've always been too scared to travel alone (and I used to be scared of doing anything by myself, including just going to lunch or a movie!), so I started small. While living in San Diego, I decided to take a weekend trip by myself to San Francisco. I figured out the public transportation system on my own (another first), had coffee alone, read a book or two, enjoyed some sunshine walks, and got a tiny taste of independence. This baby step to some was a giant leap for me — I ended up moving to SF by myself a couple years later, which has been my greatest adventure yet!" — Dominique Astorino, POPSUGAR assistant editor, Fitness

"I think everyone should travel alone at least once in his or her life. It's a true test of independence. I enjoyed the challenge of having to find my bearings and navigate completely on my own. Plus, being on your own schedule and having 100 percent of the say in what you're doing every moment of every day is a major plus!" — Sarah Paciocco, POPSUGAR associate video project manager