Travel vs Photography: which is the better EC?

[mmmedical]

Currently debating on which *I'm a person outside of work/research/school* activity to include on my application. My options are:

• Travel
  • I studied abroad for 6 weeks and backpacked for another 6 one summer. It was definitely formative and I learned a lot about other cultures and myself
  • I know traveling can come off the wrong way
  • I definitely have more travel experience and interesting stories that would be great topics of conversation for interviews (not all of it is glamorous)
  • Cool experiences to reference (learning to surf, getting lost hiking in a foreign country, etc)

• Photography
  • more niche??
  • Have less experience and is much more of a hobby
  • I do have a photography social media account and plan on taking a class at my community college during my gap year
  • I feel like I'd have less to talk about if it was brought up in an interview

Anyone on admissions have any strong opinions on this?

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[LizzyM]

Reading this I am reminded of Dr. Perri Klass who is a pediatrician and author. She backpacked through Europe as a very young woman and wrote about it at some point. She is a graduate of Harvard Med and now professor of Pediatrics and Journalism at NYU. While I don't know if it was the topic of her admissions application, if done well it can be memorable in a good way.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Both? We are immersed with influencers who travel (and tell about it).

 

[Goro]

They're both good, although I lean to the travel bit.