“All who wander are not lost” looks to be the way of life of author Joel Stratte-McClure.

He spoke to about 50 English and Journalism students today about writing his book, The Idiot and the Odyssey, a narrative of his experiences walking around the Mediterranean Sea to self-medicate and meditate.

McClure emphasized his love for traveling and how he learns from walking and experiencing the world on foot. He first started writing for the book when he met some Monks in Europe meditating on a nude beach in France.

“Hearing him recall his crazy adventures and stories from his travels overseas was very inspiring; it made me want to branch out and go on my own adventure,” sophomore Gaby Camilli said. “Seeing his positive outlook and uplifting spirit was refreshing and really opened my eyes to how much beauty there is in this world.”

Many students enjoyed the relaxed style of Stratte-McClure and were fascinated by his stories and slideshow of hundreds of pictures of his travels across the world.

“I thought Stratte-McClure was very funny and gave a lot of insight into how to make decisions about your life as you get older. I also liked all of his unique experiences and how they made him view the world differently,” junior Rowan Shartel said.

Besides talking about his book and travels, he also gave advice about how he became a journalist and where his journey has taken him.

“Overall, I thought the presentation was really interesting. This man had a really amazing story to tell and I was inspired by his advice to take a period of time and reflect on the meaning of life,” junior Megan Flynn said.

McClure never planned to be a journalist and author and is still on his path, working on writing another book to continue the series.

“Follow your dreams, and if they don’t work out, go and find another,” Stratte-McClure said.