As many students are either returning from spring break or just getting ready for their upcoming fun, here are some tips and tricks to make traveling a less stressful experience and, as a college student, a cheaper one.
As someone who studied abroad and is lucky enough to be able to travel frequently in her life, both for professional and personal reasons, I feel I’ve gained lots of helpful knowledge along the years.
Pack Lightly
You think you need more than you do. It’s always better to underpack and have some extra space in your suitcase than overpack and be left with no wiggle room. The truth is, time on trips is limited, so pack for the days you know you’re going to be there and activities you know for sure you will do. If anything changes, that’s what shopping on vacation is for!
Get a Luggage Scale
I often see people overpacking and then having to pay extra fees at the airport for overweight luggage. When I studied abroad, I decided to get myself a little hanging luggage scale from Amazon, $10, by the way, and I have never had to pay an overweight fee since!
Vacuum seal bags
Though packing in vacuum seal bags won’t necessarily make your bag any lighter, it will give you more space in your suitcase and make it less bulky. Again, I got these before my time abroad for $15 on Amazon, and they made packing so much less stressful.
Air Tags
GET YOURSELF SOME AIR TAGS. As a person with anxiety, traveling used to be so stressful for me because I would always worry about losing important items like my passport, wallet or keys. Adding Air Tags to these items soothed my worries immensely and helped me to always know where everything was.
Better Early than Late
Always show up a little earlier than you think. Giving yourself ample time to catch a flight or train will take a big weight off your shoulders. If something goes wrong, you’ll be glad you got there early. And if all goes to plan, it’s always good to learn how to kill some time.
Budget
As a college student, money can be tight, and that can make traveling feel more stressful. But planning ahead and budgeting is the best way to still enjoy your time and make sure you are spending responsibly. Create a budget with different sections for travel expenses, food and shopping, and put aside a little extra for emergencies. Creating a concrete plan for spending always helps me feel more secure and prepared for a trip.
Stay alert
When you’re traveling, especially as a young woman, it is very important to stay alert and aware of your surroundings. Being in a new place as a tourist can make you vulnerable, so it’s important to always stick with friends, stay in a safe place you’ve done research on, and get a feel for the area you’re going to be staying in.
Be open to new experiences
As much as being alert and safe matters, it’s also important to be open to new experiences when traveling. You’re going to get to experience being in a new environment with different types of people. As someone who loves an itinerary, I’ve also learned it’s OK sometimes to go with the flow and let plans change. Some of my greatest memories made during my travels were when things didn’t go as planned.
So whether you’re planning your spring break, traveling for work, studying abroad or going on summer vacation, it’s good to be prepared to make your experience a positive, stress-free one. Bon voyage!