Have you ever traveled far away from home on your own, and if so, what was your experience?

I am currently in my Senior year of college, and I am trying to wrap my mind around the next step of adult life (as everyone does). I plan to go to grad school and receive my Ph.D. in Neuroscience, but before I do that I’m going to take a year off after graduation because I think I want to get away and see the world all by myself. I don’t think many things in this world can truly teach you about yourself like traveling alone to some unfamiliar land can. However, the idea of going somewhere you’ve never been, all by your lonesome self, is undoubtedly nerve-racking. I want to make sure that it will be beneficial for me and not do more harm than good. I think that I have to right personality to do it (I’m confident, I’m hard-working, I’m really easy to get along with), but I just wanted to hear other people’s perspectives and personal experiences on the matter?