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Those who refer to themselves as history buffs tend to lead exciting lives. Contrary to popular perception, few spend their days in musty university classrooms delivering lectures on obscure events to mind-numbed college students who would rather be anywhere else. People who enjoy studying history lead professional lives that are as adventurous as they are studious. 

Buffs, or those who specialize in a subject without holding an advanced degree in it, typically follow a topic simply because they love it. When it comes to history, the discipline’s buffs are adamant, engaged, and enthusiastic about their particular specialties. How do they show their unbridled enthusiasm? Here are the most common things history buffs do to get their regular infusion of relevant excitement.

Vacationing at Famous Sites

Planning a vacation around something educational might not sound exciting, but that is where you are wrong. Yes, you will have opportunities to explore historical sites centered around human origins, past events, and important people from bygone eras, but that is not all. Since these locations attract a lot of tourists, innovative restaurateurs flock to these towns to bring their talents to the masses. You can spend your days strolling museum hallways and your nights delighting your palette. 

Or maybe you are drawn to a more beach friendly option. Historical vacation spots don’t disappoint there either. Whether it’s the Medieval battlefields of Europe, exploration routes in North America, or famous religious monuments in India and Sri Lanka, you can plan your trip during the best time of year to relax with your toes in the sand after a long day of sightseeing. Travel agencies earn good money by offering history-related packages to places like Normandy, Leningrad, Waterloo, Gettysburg, and Cairo.

Earning College Degrees

You do not have to have a formal education to appreciate the history of a location, however, a college degree can be a way to extend your passion into your profession, or it could very well be the spark that lights the flame for your history obsession initially. Either way, many historically inclined individuals seek college degrees in their favorite subject, often selecting a particular era for special focus. Attending college also provides you with a one-of-a-kind opportunity to learn from history buffs that have come before you. Professors and even peers can become mentors and guides, showing you how to marry your hobby with the other elements of your life. 

College can be pricey these days, but the good news is that many scholarships are available for history-related study. You can find plenty of scholarship opportunities quickly and apply for many at the same time by using a search and application platform app. The app is a no-cost affair and lets you hunt out scholarships relevant to your particular area of study. If you choose to tackle a four-year degree program, apply for as many scholarships as possible to minimize your education expenses that can quickly add up. Be advised that history majors are known to be literature heavy, and that can mean extensive book costs on top of your tuition fees.

Joining Battle Reenactment Groups

One of the more colorful ways to bring the past to life and engage in history is to join a battle reenactment club. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of these organizations all over the world. Participants learn details about war uniforms, weapons, fighting techniques, and more. For instance, in Europe, Asia, and the U.S., battle-related study is popular among college students and older adults who want to get a taste of what it was like to be a part of major transitional events that took place centuries ago.

Joining battle reenactment groups is probably the best way to blur the lines between the past and the present, in a good way. Getting into character for each performance will force you to become an expert on things like vocabulary, dialect, and body language that pays respect to the period in time. You have a chance to bring the figures you read about in books to life for not only the audience’s benefit, but yours as well. Typically, the people that come to these types of performances are also history lovers, which means an expansion of your circle.

Writing Books

Whether you hold an advanced academic degree or not, writing a book about your particular area of interest is an excellent way to flesh out a theory, share knowledge with others, and maybe even earn a few dollars in the process. There are quintessential books history students read inevitably, and potentially yours could be added to the list. Some of the best-selling books in the genre include short biographies of little-known figures, descriptions of epic battles, and conspiracy theory theses based on a grain of truth. 

If you write a historical book, spend extra time on fact checking, spelling proper names, and the accuracy of dates. Nothing can sink a successful, profitable book from an indie author faster than a few glaring errors. Edit carefully on your own and consider outsourcing the final editing job to a paid professional. You should also dedicate some time to reading books considered to be your competition. Seek out successful authors that have books inside your niche, read their books, and study their followers. Learning about their successes and failures through things like book reviews, social media engagement, and blog posts can help you avoid the pitfalls of those who came before you.