We always hear how lucky we are to be members of the NYU Shanghai community. We have such an amazing opportunity to study with people from all around the world. But embracing this alone is largely missing the point. NYU Shanghai creates such an amazing opportunity to travel and get help from people who live all around the world. Our student body is the best TripAdvisor and Airbnb you could ever hope for. In the past decade traveling, as everything else, has improved with the help of social media. TripAdvisor changed the world and the way people travel around it by allowing travelers to exchange tips and share their experience on tourists' attractions, restaurants, hotels, and everything else you need to plan the perfect trip. But TripAdvisor itself is not perfect; it relies on tourists to create the locations and write the reviews featured on the site. This means TripAdvisor users are likely to miss out on the real experience of locals. Imagine having, instead, a repository of people who have lived in the area for years to give you tips about what is really worth seeing, what food is really worth eating, where deals can really be found in different destinations all over the world. This would change your trip from good to remarkable. Now, stop imagining. You have this group of people right now. NYU Shanghai's students body consist of people like that, all you need to do is talk to them and ask for recommendations.Those of you who do not have the money for expensive flights and five-star hotels may think the advantages of having access to the tips of such an international community are lost on you—i.e.“I can’t afford to travel even if I can plan the perfect trip”—but you can use your NYU Shanghai experience to help you with this as well. Choose travel locations that are close to your campus so the flights are cheaper. For internationals students from western countries, this is the perfect time for you to explore China and Asia in general, as the flights from Shanghai to these locations are much cheaper than from your home country. For the Chinese students among us, use your semester abroad to travel around a different continent. Regarding hotel prices, social media sites like Airbnb have allowed people to find and rent lodging for much cheaper in some of the most desirable areas in the world. The accommodation can be a house, an apartment, a room, or even just a couch; you can choose your preference according to your budget. Moreover, the stay is at a local's home, which offers you a more personal experience than a hotel ever could. Millions of tourists use Airbnb, but many people don’t feel comfortable staying at a stranger's place. Again, your NYU Shanghai reserve helps you bypass this issue. You can ask other students if you can stay in their homes, which will make you more comfortable and probably won't cost you at all. On the other hand, you should try to host others too, not merely in hopes of being hosted by them in exchange, but because it is fun.This past summer when I hosted a good friend from NYU Shanghai I really enjoyed showing her my country and being a tour-guide. It feels like you are on vacation in your own home andyou get to give a fellow student the opportunity to see what your life is really like.The whole purpose of our school is to explore different cultures during the current era of globalization in order to increase mutual understanding. You might be approaching this goal by simply studying at NYU Shanghai, but exposing yourself to these cultures at their origins will take you to a whole different level. Think about the next break, ask other students for recommendations, invite someone to your home, and really make the world your major. This article was written by Nofar Hamrany. Send an email to [email protected] to get in touch. Photo Credit: Tirza Alberta