At the beginning of the month, I decided that I needed a change of scenery. My friend lives in New York City, so I decided it would be a good idea to go visit her. However, I had never gone anywhere that wasn’t within driving distance of my house back home before. I decided to take the train and I was nervous (but excited) about this adventure.
My first step was booking train tickets. It ended up being fairly simple once I figured out which of Boston’s three train stations I needed to leave from. I also had to pick my seat on the train, and unsure whether the quiet car was for me, I opted for one of the few available window seats in one of the normal cars.
Once I had secured my train tickets, the hardest part came: figuring out how to get to the train station and to the right platform. My biggest fear was getting on the wrong train or missing the train entirely. So I hurried to the T to make sure I got there with plenty of time to figure it all out. When I arrived, I was very confused. I didn’t know which platforms were for which train, and I was overwhelmed by all the different boards. I ended up asking which platform was for New York, and I headed down. Luckily, there were plenty of other people around, and they confirmed that I was in the right spot.
When I was finally on the train and the conductor scanned my ticket, it was smooth sailing. I loved watching the beautiful scenery as we headed down the coast, and all of the people sitting by me were very friendly. I was able to get a bunch of homework done. Someone on the train noticed my communications homework and gave me some encouraging words about how one of the passengers who they used to see doing work on the train ended up becoming a New York Times columnist and that I could do it too. Overall, it was a really great experience.
As we pulled into New York, I got to see the sunset over the city skyline, and it was amazing. I hopped off the train and headed off to meet my friend. Just like that, the trip I had been so nervous about ended up being fairly simple. If anyone out there is nervous about traveling by themselves, just know that with a little preparation and a little luck, it can end up being a really positive experience.
A little planning and some luck go a long way. I hope if you’re also planning on traveling alone for the first time, it ends up being just as positive of an experience for you as it was for me.
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