University exchange culture is losing sight of what truly matters: gaining life experience, not just Instagram likes.
On Dec. 12, 2025, User whoevenisthis111 posted the message “Would you guys go abroad if you couldn’t post on Instagram? Genuine question.” The comments were filled with mixed messages, but shockingly, a majority of commentors stating no. Many viewers were comparing it to a marathon, asking if people would still run one if they couldn’t post about it.
In the age of social media, the motivation behind life experiences can feel purely dependent on showing others what you’ve done. From the crowds of phones at concerts to a heinous amount of selfie sticks, the urge to capture the moment, rather than enjoy it, is extremely prevalent. Exchange stories, both anecdotes and on Instagram, are starting to feel oddly similar, with students showcasing the moment over the entire experience.
There’s a strong culture of exchange at Queen’s, but unfortunately, exchange programs and trips abroad are increasingly treated less as opportunities for cultural immersion and more as backdrops for personal branding. The places visited while abroad become an extra point on the scale of being well-traveled, and an exciting post to diversify one’s feed. Going abroad has turned into another box to tick on a perfect university experience. It’s advertised as a must-do experience, but nobody tells you why.
The real purpose of travel should be experiencing other people’s ways of life and developing awareness by immersing oneself in new cultures. Spending time in a place foreign to you offers unique opportunities to develop problem-solving, communication, and adaptability skills. This isn’t always aesthetic or photo-worthy; it can be messy and confusing. Travel’s an alluring thing because of its depth and the situations it throws you into, not only the views that come along with it. Inevitably, students do grow when they travel, but growth has become secondary to performance.
The world is beautiful, and there’s nothing wrong with seeking beauty, yet somewhere along the way, travel became less about encountering the unfamiliar and more about curating a version of oneself that looks worldly. The goal is to appear experienced and sophisticated There’s nothing wrong with showing your friends cool photos you captured, but the motivation behind going shouldn’t depend on this.
Social media feeds are filled with outfit planning, perfectly curated photos in the most picturesque locations, and an increasing number of travel influencers. To be seen abroad is overwhelming the want to be abroad.
The lapse in motivation is especially prevalent in university travel culture. Exchange programs weren’t designed to produce Instagram-worthy photos; they were meant to nurture cultural understanding and encourage students to live and think differently. University’s a time to discover what truly matters to you, and if that’s simply a curated persona online, maybe exchange isn’t going to be the most rewarding thing you do.
When the primary goal becomes proving you were there, rather than understanding where you are, something essential is lost. The real purpose of travel, understanding the world and ourselves, fades into the background.
Jula is a 2nd year Commerce student and The Journal’s Production Manager and Editorials Illustrator.
Tags
Exchange, Social media, Travel, University
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca.