It’s 2019, y’all. Which is crazy. I mean, I remember being a kid in the 80s and realizing that I would probably live to see the year 2020—but I’d be all old by then. And here we are, three hundred and fifty-something days away from that very year and frighteningly close to me being all old.

And speaking of crazy, do you know what else is crazy about 2019? It marks the ten year anniversary of The Suitcase Scholar.

I’ve been blogging about travel for an entire decade. That’s 25% of my old-person life. So you know, it’s time for the blog to have some work done.

Thus, I bring to you the biggest change for The Suitcase Scholar since, well…ever.

The Suitcase Scholar is no longer (just) a travel blog.

Here’s the thing: travel is amazing. I’ve written about it for a decade now, and doing so has taken me to some amazing places and brought many amazing people into my life (hi amazing people!) But life isn’t just about travel. You also need to look pretty and eat things.

When I started The Suitcase Scholar in 2009, a blog needed a niche—that’s a specific, narrow focus. Educational travel, for example. But it’s almost the year 2020, and web content isn’t so much about specialization as it is about having a voice and sharing an experience. So I’m going to do just that– surrounding all facets of life, not just travel.

The Suitcase Scholar is becoming a lifestyle blog.

In the coming weeks, months, and (I hope) years, I will continue to create reviews, tips & tricks, and how-to posts featuring travel. But I will also be writing reviews, tips & tricks, and how-to posts featuring:

-Beauty for Dummies

-Food and Recipes

-Career Inspiration

-Home Design and Budget Decor

-And anything else I damn well feel like

You will still always get honest, helpful information brought to you by me, in my voice, with an appropriate level of sarcasm. I aim to continue to be at once informative and entertaining while taking an inquiry-based approach to life. Basically: I’ll do new things, record how that new thing goes, and share that information with you. Just instead of featuring only ‘how to take a budget cruise’ I will also be writing about ‘how to make a lasagna out of zucchini’. Or you know–something more interesting. And I’ll be adding tons of video content as well, because I love creating video content. Look forward to some epically awful unboxing videos in the near future (I bought a special YouTuber light on a stick and everything), along with a more-traditional travel vlog featuring an interesting spin on the-place-I-visit-most-often.

So yeah. It’s time for some serious ch-ch-ch-changes.

In keeping with the theme of change, I have considered changing the name of The Suitcase Scholar, because the name doesn’t exactly fit now that a suitcase isn’t required (though to be fair, I haven’t checked a bag since 2006, so really this blog should be The Backpack Scholar, except that isn’t alliterative.) But then I thought about it and really, isn’t Suitcase Scholarly-ness really more a frame of mind than anything else?

Also I own this URL and moving a decade’s worth of content would be a pain in the rear, so we’re just going to remain The Suitcase Scholar. Thanks for understanding.

I’m kicking around a site redesign (as soon as I have time), and I’ve been brainstorming some new tag lines. My current favorite is:

Better Living Through Occasional Failure

Because sometimes when we try new things, even if those new things are just a new workout or a brand of lipstick or a risky accent wall color in the dining room, we fail. And that’s ok. That’s what learning is.

My second runner up:

If I Can Do It, You Can Do It

Because do you know who isn’t great at many things? Me. But I’m not afraid to try. And you shouldn’t be either.

So what do you say? Will you still read The Suitcase Scholar now that the focus is expanding? And if so, what type of content would you most like to see? Start the new year off right by commenting below to help me shape the vision for this site for the next decade and beyond! Doing so contains zero calories and 0% alcohol, so it’s totally in keeping with all of your resolutions. I promise.