We’ve all heard it before: It’s not the destination — it’s the journey. Some journeys are literal: road trips and hikes, study abroad and backpacking a continent. There are others such as your journey starting as a freshman in college and ending as valedictorian at graduation. Or you hear something controversial and decide to delve into scholarly articles, personal accounts and more to figure out where you stand. All of these are journeys and they all change you in one way or another.
Then, there are the journeys I’ve taken via reading. I discovered the Wardrobe with Lucy and greeted Mr. Tummus. There was nothing like experiencing falling down the rabbit hole with Alice. One of my favorite journeys was walking out of that old house in Paris that was covered in vines, with the smallest of all the girls — Madeline. I remember my first day at Hogwarts with Harry, Ron and Hermione. I can precisely recall the adventures I went on with them as we grew older, wiser, and braver.
There is nothing like an adventure through imagination. And it was these adventures with Harry, Ron and Hermione, with Lucy and Alice, with Madeline, that I discovered my own adventures and journeys through writing.
I’ve worked on stories/short pieces based in a university laundry room, Camden Lock (London), Washington Heights (NYC), the Dominican Republic, and most recently — an alternate universe.
Your imagination could take you on so many journeys. Don’t let anything stop you from them. 
New York Times said it perfectly: It’s not the destination — it’s the journey. We’ve all heard this before. What does it mean to you? There are literal journeys, like road trips or hikes, but there are other kinds, too, such as learning and mastering a skill, or doing in-depth research about something.
What are your journeys? What did they teach you about yourself? Talk about the journeys you’ve taken or are dreaming to take. What have you gained from your past journeys? Why do you want to take future journeys? Do you believe that in such undertakings, it’s what happens along the way that matters more than crossing the real or metaphorical finish line?
Abundance of Coffee 