Planning your travel while abroad is super exciting, but it can also be stressful. There are so many amazing places to visit, but few breaks and often—little funds to plan them. Therefore, check out these tips to help plan your trips while on your study abroad program and have an amazing experience!
1. Think of where you want to go, and book early. It’s probably pretty weird to think about travelling right when you get to your study abroad location, but airline ticket prices go up more quickly than you think.. Airlines tend to have deals on Tuesdays for some reason, so keep an eye out for that.
2. Sit down with your friends and figure out what everyone can afford and wants to do. It’s a lot easier to gather everyone into one room and plan out your travel in a couple of hours than constantly messaging back and forth on Facebook. Have your credit cards ready and all book at the same time to avoid anyone getting left behind.
3. Consider going through a booking agent or travel agency. It might be a little more expensive, but there is a peace of mind of knowing that everything is booked for you, from transportation to accommodation to activities. If you don’t want to spend the extra money, consider talking to a travel agent anyway. They can usually talk to you about the best places to stay and the coolest sites to visit. I booked my spring break with a travel company, and they made amazing plans for our group—we would have never thought of all the activities they chose for us otherwise.
4. Sign up for email alerts from travel companies, Groupon, and airlines. A lot of these emails won’t pertain to where you want to go, but keep an eye out for those deals—sometimes there are great travel packages hiding between the lines!
5. Look at your wallet/credit card and make sure that you can afford your travel plans. Although taking that extra day on the beach may seem appealing now, eating Ramen for the eighth day in a row gets old when you’re out of money at the end of the program. Sadly, you probably won’t be able to go everywhere that you want to during your study abroad experience. However, that doesn’t mean that you won’t have a great time!
Cherish any and every place you travel, because time flies, collegietes™! No matter where you go, you will have an experience of a lifetime.