Roadtrip Nation: Your Life, Your Way

There have been times during college when I've been at a crossroads. Am I really choosing the right major? Do I really want to be a journalist for the rest of my life? Can I still pursue something outside my major if I want? Thanks to a friend's recommendation of the book "Roadtrip Nation", I discovered that the answer to all of these questions is yes.

"Roadtrip Nation" was a project that began back in 2000 by Pepperdine University graduates Mike Marriner and Nathan Gebhard. The main reason for starting this project is because they received advice on what they should do for a living, rather than what they truly wanted to do. They called this the noise, which discourages you from your passion for various reasons and has no interest in what you value.

In order to ignore the noise, Mike and Nathan set out on a road trip across the country to talk to people who were successful in various fields. They spoke to Arianne Phillips, the stylist for Madonna, Michael Dell, the founder and CEO of Dell Computers, and Chef Charlie Trotter of his namesake restaurant in Chicago, just to name a few.

During each interview, their mission was to find out how these people got to were they were today. Each person also signed the ceiling of the green RV the crew traveled in and gave advice on finding your passion to both the readers and those on board the RV.

Throughout each interview segment, the book provided a diagram of the subject's career path, which mainly explained where they went to college (if they did go), traditional career paths they pursued, and how they may have met people doing the work they really loved to do. There was also a "How we Booked It" box, which explained how Mike and Nate went about getting each interview.

In a lot of cases, they dialed a main number and spoke with operators, receptionists, or public relations people. Sometimes they had to leave several messages before getting in contact with the person they hoped to talk to. Also, each time, they had to make sure to pitch their project in a way that the interviewee would be persuaded to participate.

At the end of the book, there is additional information for anyone wanting to do a road trip of their own. There are tips on booking interviews through phone calls and letters, along with what kinds of questions will break the ice. Also, there is information on how to best sell the Roadtrip Nation pitch to a prospective interview subject.

I have read this book numerous times. The stories of so many successful people are inspiring and as cheesy as it sounds, it helped me to believe that I can do anything I want. It makes me want to get up and start finding people I could interview, even if they're not as high profile as some of the people in the book. Even better, it was written by two people not much older than me, so the book is easier to relate to than it were if it were written by someone well into adulthood.

Today, students from all around the country continue the mission by taking trips of their own all around the world. For anyone who reads this book and wants to get more involved, Roadtrip Nation has a website where you can apply to be on RV trips, learn how to live on the road, find out how to bring the movement to your campus, and find out information on booking, filming, and conducting interviews. Visit the website to learn more at: http://www.roadtripnation.com