“I Need to Get Away” - How Travel Restores Happy Feelings

Words by: Sophie Revell

Page Design: Eva

Castanedo

The anticipation for an upcoming trip away is a universally shared experience; the satisfaction of having something to look forward to, and that excited flutter of heartache the night before, are feelings we’ve all experienced at some point in our lives. Of course, it goes without saying all holidays inspire lovely feelings, but the positive psychological impact that travelling can actually have is not so widely known.

As the National Geographic reported, half of the enjoyment of a trip can be found in the planning and anticipation of it. Backed up by a study by Cornell University, which revealed how experiential expectations or anticipation can considerably boost one’s happiness, it has been found that there is a genuine scientific explanation for the immense happiness we feel when we think about our future plans to travel. What’s more, co-author of the study Amit Kumar compares these feelings to the gratification we receive when purchasing material possessions, which serve us far less. Essentially, spending money on, and thinking about, future trips away have a far larger and longer lasting emotional impact on people than buying possessions for ourselves, and these feelings of happiness generally last through the lead up to a trip and beyond.

In testimony to this, I remember counting down the days to my most recent trip away last summer, which was my first holiday abroad since summer 2019. Obviously, travelling was halted by the Covid-19 pandemic and the claustrophobia of being restricted to our homes with little certainty about when we’ll be able to travel again has had an impact on our collective mental well-being. When my family were lucky enough to book a holiday to Gran Canaria, visions of us rejuvenating ourselves through a different culture, downtime and exploration saw me through the day-to-day of my degree and job. Conversations with my parents and sister about our shared excitement to finally travel again had an uplifting effect on us as individuals and as a family.

Along similar lines, my memories of travelling are pockets of escapism from the daily grind of university deadlines and work, in a city that is perpetually cold and damp. I often find myself drifting away to happier times exploring new cities; devouring a book by the side of the pool; or weaving around the coast by kayak. Once again, this is a sentiment shared by many. In 2020, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Hilton conducted a survey which revealed that 89% of Americans considered their memories of travelling to be their happiest. Personally, the reaction I have to memories of time spent abroad is a physical, somewhat visceral one. They are feelings of heartache and yearning, the same I get when I miss someone I love. A particular memory that conjures such feelings is from a trip to Lake Garda in 2018, where I spent a day with a group of friends exploring the tiny streets of Malcesine; how I wish I could be with them again drinking iced tea on the harbour.

A side-effect of travelling that I think is my favourite is the anonymisation of oneself when visiting a new place. There is something special about revisiting a favourite place (my family love to return to La Tranche-sur-Mer) but I love reinventing myself in somewhere new, even if it’s for only a few days. In our day to day lives it’s easy to get caught up in the external pressures and expectations of work, family, deadlines, etc. so what better antidote to the mundane is there than getting lost in a whol new way of living for a while? Just don’t get too lost, otherwise you might find yourself sitting in a beach bar after your fourth glass of Honey Rum encrusted with sea salt and contemplating learning Spanish, getting a working visa, and never returning to your studies. Too far? Maybe, but there is clearly a lot to be said for the joy of newness that travelling brings.

So, take this as your sign to book your next holiday, because scientifically it will make you happier.