Wanderlust is a strong desire to wander or

travel Travel is the movement of people between distant geographical locations. Travel can be done by foot, bicycle, automobile, train, boat, bus, airplane, ship or other means, with or without luggage, and can be one way or round trip. Travel c ...

and

explore Exploration refers to the historical practice of discovering remote lands. It is studied by geographers and historians. Two major eras of exploration occurred in human history: one of convergence, and one of divergence. The first, covering most ...

the world.

Etymology

The first documented use of the term in

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

occurred in 1902 as a reflection of what was then seen as a characteristically German predilection for wandering that may be traced back to German Romanticism and the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

system of

apprenticeship Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study (classroom work and reading). Apprenticeships can also enable practitioners to gain a ...

(the

journeyman A journeyman, journeywoman, or journeyperson is a worker, skilled in a given building trade or craft, who has successfully completed an official apprenticeship qualification. Journeymen are considered competent and authorized to work in that fie ...

), as well as the custom of adolescent wanderings in search of unity with nature. The term originates from the German words ('to hike') and ('desire'), literally translated as 'enjoyment of hiking', although it is commonly described as 'enjoyment of

strolling Strolling is walking along or through at a leisurely pace. Strolling is a pastime and activity enjoyed worldwide as a leisure activity. The object of strolling is to walk at a slightly slower pace in an attempt to absorb the surroundings. Works ...

, roaming about, or wandering'. In recent years, the word is less commonly used in German, having been largely supplanted in the sense of 'desire to travel' by ('a longing for far-away places'), coined as an antonym to , 'homesickness'.

Sociology

Robert E. Park in the early twentieth century saw wanderlust as in opposition to the values of status and organisation, while

postmodernism Postmodernism is an intellectual stance or mode of discourseNuyen, A.T., 1992. The Role of Rhetorical Devices in Postmodernist Discourse. Philosophy & Rhetoric, pp.183–194. characterized by skepticism toward the " grand narratives" of modern ...

would by contrast see it largely as playfully empowering. In post-Enlightenment Europe, upper-class bachelors were encouraged to embark upon a (roughly, 'cultural education journey'), often sightseeing trips to Italy or France. Among tourists, sociologists distinguish sunlust from wanderlust as motivating forces – the former primarily seeking relaxation, the latter engagement with different cultural experiences.

Psychology

Wanderlust may reflect an intense urge for self-development by experiencing the unknown, confronting unforeseen challenges, getting to know unfamiliar cultures, ways of life and behaviours or may be driven by the desire to escape and leave behind depressive feelings of guilt, and has been linked to

bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of Depression (mood), depression and periods of abnormally elevated Mood (psychology), mood that last from days to weeks each. If the elevat ...

in the periodicity of the attacks. In adolescence, dissatisfaction with the restrictions of home and locality may also fuel the desire to travel.S. Freud, ''On Metapsychology'' (PFL 11) p. 455

Etymology

Sociology

Psychology

See also

References

Further reading