The days of heading on family trips in the car have probably decreased as you hit college age. Packing the van and driving on trips to Disney World, the beach, amusement parks, or any other destinations are faint memories, yet still very valuable from childhood. It’s understandable with increasing age that many college students would prefer to go on Spring Break or summer trips with their friend groups. However, reliving family trips can be equally rewarding, as you can go on an expanded range of adventures compared to when you were a kid. And if you happen to be going on family trip soon, or have recently, here are some reasons why they still matter:

Connection

Being in college means at least some distance away from family. Thus, a vacation with the family provides a means to catch up and enjoy like the good old days when you lived at home and could go out together more frequently. A vacation means doing activities together, such as exploring, eating, and driving/flying together, all great ways to keep the family rapport strong.

Rekindle Old Memories

Odds are you didn’t go on vacations with friends at a young age, because you simply could not. However, now being college age and able to go on vacations with some friends, that doesn’t mean you should cut off those family vacations you took as a kid. A nostalgic vibe may be present and taking a family trip in the past versus now shows how much you have grown. It provides a chance to reminisce about your favorite things to do back then, such as always buying a souvenir, or eating at a certain type of restaurant. Another angle to look at this is taking a vacation with your family is a chance to plunge back into your childhood. The family vacation means forgetting about your adult responsibilities, such as school, work, and other commitments. To a lower degree, going with the family means the costs are covered as a family unit, instead of constantly splitting with friends.

Keep A Tradition Going

Going on family trips as a kid are important and can be considered a family tradition to some. But as most family traditions are, they want to be salvaged and kept alive. Age should not be a deciding factor about whether taking a family trip is worth it. Now, going with friends may mean doing stuff related to your age group, but going on trips with different friends means a smaller array of memories, whereas taking trips with your family is a long line of memories spanning from your childhood to the present day.

True Enjoyment

Life is busy these days for everybody. For college students, a family vacation is a wonderful time to enjoy quality time with family, and in an instance where everyone will likely enjoy their time. Family vacations provide an opportunity to still remember olden times while creating new life memories for the future. Eating at new places, going hiking, taking a cruise or any tour, visiting a new city, and many other activities provide a means of enjoyment for you and your family together. For most college students, this cannot happen during a good chunk of the calendar year due to being in college and its many responsibilities.

Family vacations still hold deep meaning, whether remembering those from your childhood or taking one present day. They provide a chance to still connect with your family despite being super busy, or living far away. For college students today, all that needs to be said about a family vacation is pack up and drive into the world of reliving old memories, making new memories, and enjoying life.