Reading week, as always, is a time for students to finally take a break from the insanity of the schoolyear and all the midterms, papers, and quizzes that make some people want to scream. Though it is intended for us to catch up on our work, that doesn’t always happen. A lot of us like to travel, see different cities or countries. That’s what I did this year, and from that I found these are the things that you really don’t want to forget when you’re headed out for any trip really
1) Travel insurance
Not everywhere has the universal healthcare we enjoy in Canada, so this becomes particularly important in that case. Travelling to somewhere like the states can get pricy very suddenly if you, say, fall and break something or get sick.
You can grab this from places like CAA, through benefits if your employer gives you benefits, or even through a credit card (some credit cards are required to have built-in travel insurance). It’s definitely something that is better to have and not need than something to need and not have.
2) Cash
This brings me to my second point- money! I found that the best situation is to transfer your money before leaving the country. You will get a better rate (either through your bank or an exchange service) because most of the time you won’t be charged such a large fee.
Even if you are bringing your cash with you, keep in mind that emergencies happen- so if you have a credit card bring it with you for emergencies. If you are taking money out of an account or exchanging money in another country, find an exchange service or a bank- ATMs will often charge a smaller fee but will charge it every time.
3) Identification
Your passport is already a must- you won’t get across the border without it. It’s always a good idea to have other pieces of ID on you while you’re travelling though (health card and driver’s license are usually the best to have as they are recognized almost everywhere). Your student ID is a good idea as well, since many places will take your University ID card for student prices!
An option is, in addition, to have a photocopy of your ID and health insurance as well. That way if one gets misplaced or stolen, you have something on you that has say, your health card number so you can still receive care.
4) Phone/Phone Charger
This one may seem obvious, but it’s easy to forget a phone charger in the midst of all of your packing. You should be able to buy one wherever you are headed, but in the event that you don’t, it’s not a good idea to be caught without your primary mode of communication- not to mention the fact that it could be your camera as well and you will want to take pictures on vacation.
Additionally, make sure your emergency information is filled out on your phone! If you are caught unable to respond to a medical professional, they can go on your phone, hit the emergency button, and (if your settings are programmed) find your name, age, blood type, height, weight, and emergency contacts. This is important particularly if you don’t have your identification on you.
5) Shampoo/conditioner or other toiletries
The last thing I would say you don’t want to get caught without are toiletries. This means your toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, etc. A lot of people don’t bring shampoo or conditioner on a trip in particular because they assume the hotel will have the small bottles in the room. This puts you in quite a spot if they don’t supply it or if the other people sharing your room have the same idea- and you don’t want to get caught having to pay for a toothbrush and toothpaste in the hotel if they don’t provide those for free.
While this one may seem rather obvious, it’s definitely something you don’t want to get caught without and is something that is often forgotten by travellers.
When packing for a trip it’s always helpful to have a list. Always ensure that you have these little things that are far too easily overlooked!