Should I Study or Travel? Why I’m Going Back to School
Last Updated on 18th August 2023 by Sophie Nadeau
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Study or travel? Well, first things first: some of the most inspiring people in my life didn’t even go to university. If I’m honest with you, they didn’t even do well in high school. One of them flat out failed at the ‘important‘ subjects. And that’s because of one simple fact: the path to ‘success’ in life (if it’s even definable) has nothing to do with a piece of paper.
For months and months I’ve been thinking hard and long about a choice I have to make: Do I quit school and pursue my dreams of running my travel blog full-time or do I go back and finish my studies?
Do I move away from France to London in order to finish my studies or do I quit school and find a full time gig in France to tide me over while I figure out what to do?
Besides, I’ve made no secret that I’ve never been so happy as I’ve been in France (you know, despite London being lovely and all)…
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So… Study or Travel?
Well, I can tell you, it’s not been an easy choice to make. Every ounce of me is screaming to quit school, follow my dreams and ignore the potential consequences.
The prospect of losing another year on something I’m not particularly passionate about and spending vast amounts of money on finishing my education (in the U.K. you have to pay for school. You have to pay a lot for school) is definitely not appealing.
I honestly wish I were brave (or stupid?- I don’t know?) enough to sit here and say ‘I’m quitting school and not looking back‘. I’ve spent hours reading articles by various people who quit school and followed what made them happy.
However, personally I just can’t leave school. Something in my gut is telling me to stick with it and get that degree. After all, I have already completed three quarters of the course and having a degree (having completed the majority of it) may well serve me later on down the line.
So should I study or travel? Well, if I really can’t stick it out, then at the end of the day a degree is just a piece of paper and nothing more. It’s a tool that you can use and that’s it. Besides, travel gives you just as many tools, albeit different.
So you’re thinking about quitting university (or not going)?
Well, there are pros and cons to both. If you’re really not sure, before taking the plunge, I definitely recommend taking a gap year! I can’t recommend it enough… This should definitely help you clear your mind and will enable you enough time to think things through:
Study or Travel (aka School of life vs school of academia)
If you do decide to take the ‘plunge’ and travel as opposed to going to school, then you’ll get just as many different tools in life, albeit in a different manner.
With this being said, it’s worth remembering that different doesn’t necessarily mean difficult or bad (though more traditional institutions will make the job application process easier for those in possession of a degree than those without)…
Think about what you want to do (like, seriously)
There are things that you’re always going to need a degree for: dentist, doctor, lawyer, etc. If you genuinely want to pursue one of these professions but are thinking about not going to school, how serious are you about actually wanting to be a medic etc.?
As well as there being careers that you need to have a career for, there are plenty of careers which don’t require you to have a degree at all, and the majority of these are in the creative fields.
Think about and consider the cost
If you’re studying higher education in many countries (such as the U.S.A., U.K. or Canada), then chances are, you’ll be forking out a lot of money! Make sure you choose something you’ll not only enjoy, but you think will stand you in good stead for the future.
When I first started university, I was seriously considering becoming an auctioneer. Obviously I’m no longer considering this (hence study or travel?) But at the time, a degree was the right thing to pursue as I had already completed the majority of my studies!
But, what happens if I want to study AND travel?
Well, good news! We are in the 21st century after all…
If you really want to travel and study, then make sure to find a course where you can combine the two. There are plenty of schemes and university courses that will allow you to combine the two, such as the Erasmus scheme which many European countries take part in (read about why you should study abroad in Paris here). Just make sure that you make yourself return to finish your degree in your home country at the end!
2021 update: I went back to school
In the end, I returned to London to finish my studies before moving to the English countryside. Once in the countryside, I decided to pursue full-time travel blogging (you can read more about how to make money travel blogging here).
I stayed in England for several years due to meeting a local, though we eventually broke up (you can read about that experience in my article- can travel heal heartbreak?) All the while, I was working full-time as a travel blogger, on the blog which you are reading today. I have since moved to Paris, where I am currently based.
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Thanks for sharing and keep it up as i come back and check new comments and posts.
If you’re just going to school to go to school, then it’s kinda a waste, but if you want a job in a specific field then it’s a great choice
Well, definitely schooling and study first then once you get a good job it allows you to travel frequently, however, traveling as a student is also very joyful. Thanks for sharing and keep it up as i come back and check new comments and posts.
Going to school online is also an option for a lot of courses of study. (Here in the USA at least and I’m pretty sure I saw some online degree programs in Australia.) As long as you have a reliable internet connection at least once or twice a week, you can travel and go to school at the same time. I’ve taken online courses toward a Master’s in Library Science without ever visiting my university.
You also get knowledge from traveling. I ever confused that problem. Traveling or schooling? Which thing is more important?Finally, I choose raveling and I never regret for my decision.
Degree gives you an option in case your primary passion fails to takeoff. But the time and cost can be prohibitive for many. It’s a very individual choice as only you have to face the consequences.
Oh I understand you so well! I still have 2,5 years left of my studies and right now, all I want to do is travel. But deep down I know that finishing my degree will be helpful in the end. I’m learning a lot to start my own business some day and that’s where I’m going. And to be honest, studying in Germany is almost free and I have two huge breaks every year in which I can travel. I’m also planning a year abroad at the moment, to combine the two as good as possible!
Somehow I sometimes get the feeling that in the digital nomad community it’s almost frowned upon to finish your degree 😀
Love,
Connie
I think it just really depends on what course you want to study. If you’re just going to school to go to school, then it’s kinda a waste, but if you want a job in a specific field then it’s a great choice. But travel is also an excellent choice and will teach you more than school ever will. Are you able to go to school in France or take a short course there while working as a sort of hybrid option?
I think it’s important to get that piece of paper called a degree. You never know when you might need it! you can travel and study, and work and travel and even travel with kids (as I see in blogs!:) ).
Good for you Soph! I thought about the same thing so many times, but the truth is it’s way harder to go back to school later if you do decide you need a degree than to just get one now- especially in France where degrees mean so much! Besides, now you can show us all the coolest nooks and crannies of London 😉 can’t wait to visit!