Wanderlust is a strong desire to wander or

travel Travel is the movement of people between distant geographical Location (geography), locations. Travel can be done by Pedestrian, foot, bicycle, automobile, train, boat, bus, airplane, ship or other means, with or without Baggage, luggage, a ...

and explore the world. The term has its roots in

German Romanticism German Romanticism () was the dominant intellectual movement of German-speaking countries in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, influencing philosophy, aesthetics, literature, and criticism. Compared to English Romanticism, the German vari ...

Etymology

The first documented use of the term in

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

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

and the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

system of

apprenticeship Apprenticeship is a system for training a potential new practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. Apprenticeships may also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in a regulat ...

(the

journeyman A journeyman 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 field as a fully qualified employee ...

), 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', or 'travel fever' ().

Sociology

Robert E. Park Robert Ezra Park (February 14, 1864 – February 7, 1944) was an American urban sociologist who is considered to be one of the most influential figures in early U.S. sociology. Park was a pioneer in the field of sociology, changing it from a pas ...

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

postmodernism Postmodernism encompasses a variety of artistic, Culture, cultural, and philosophical movements that claim to mark a break from modernism. They have in common the conviction that it is no longer possible to rely upon previous ways of depicting ...

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 (BD), 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 each last from days to weeks, and in ...

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