3 Things I Wish I Knew Before Traveling as a Student

 

3 Things I Wish I Knew Before Traveling as a Student

I have spent the last three years of my college life sprinkling in vacations here and there as I work toward my journalism degree. Whether they have been day trips or week long vacations, I have had my fair share in making mistakes and learning what (not) to do! So, if you are anything like me, you are looking to plan your next trip soon, if not immediately. Below are some tips (and tricks) that I have picked up on my travels, so please feel welcome to take from it what you please!

1. Do Not Settle
   
   It can be super easy to fall into the trap of taking what you can get when it comes to student traveling, especially due to limited time frames, funds, or resources. You may only have a two day window before you have to be back in class or work, but you are restricted to the last minute (and expensive) hotel/flight options. Please do NOT do what I used to do and overspend on a hotel or flight because you feel that is your only option.
   
   You CAN go on last minute vacations/getaways on a budget. For example, there are plenty of last minute flight websites and organizations that specialize in selling unsold plane tickets for an extremely discounted rate. Even better if you do not have a set destination. I often use SkyScanner. Simply enter your departing airport, change your destination to anywhere, and be sure the dates are for your last minute opening(s). (One time I flew to Oregon for a weekend for a mere $40!)
   
   In terms of finding places to stay, sometimes the sacrifice of luxury is worth the trip! We are young students, and we often cannot afford a hotel for over $100, maybe even less than that. As long as the place you stay is safe, has clean sheets and a bathroom, it works out perfectly. Make the most of your trip and spend most of your time exploring wherever you end up, rather than sitting in your low-budget hotel room!

2. Travel With the Right People
   
   In the beginning of my travel journey, I would do my best to make the most out of my trips and bring as many friends as I could. Vacations with the people you love are just that much better, right? Well, maybe not all the time. I have made the mistake of bringing along people that 1) Did not want to leave our hotel room, 2) Constantly found issue in anything we did - activities, food, etc, and 3) Didn't really want to be there. 
   
   Sometimes it is totally okay to be selective about the people you invite on your trips. As a student, I make it a priority to be sure I get some school work done wherever I go, but with the wrong people I either don't get anything done, or I have too much time to get it done. Balance is essential, so make sure to invite individuals that motivate you, but also remind you to wind down. 

3. Practice Deadline Management
   
   A mistake that I, and many of my friends, have made, is getting lazy with school work before a trip. "I'll just finish this assignment while we're there" is a phrase I have said too many times, leading to late submissions and sometimes a 0 in the grade book. Do NOT be me.
   
   It is perfectly okay to leave yourself some work to do on your trip, but you have to ensure that it is a manageable and completable amount. If you have a seven page essay due the fourth day of your five day trip, and you haven't even started - it would be best to finish at least five pages before you depart. 
   
   Vacations can so easily mess with your sense of time (especially when you are competing with a time change), as well as your sense of responsibility. Because we are meant to relax and forget about the stressors of daily life, school slowly feels irrelevant. So, if you choose to leave yourself some homework for your trip, do so with the confidence that it will get done
   
   
   I hope you learn from my mistakes and your adventures are stress free and memorable. 
   
   With Love,Alena