This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Simmons chapter.
I’m writing this article to you all in hopes of enlightening people in what it takes to have a successful trip on the road with friends. This comes from personal experience on a trip to Canada from Boston, MA with three of my close friends. Experiences are different depending on friend group and place of travel but this is what I got.
- Pick some kick butt friends that you feel comfortable being in a car or plane with for a while
- Make a playlist that will keep the driver awake
- Pack snacks and water! (This may seem very silly to mention but often times it’s forgotten)
- Make sure everyone had passports, wallets, undies, and everything you need BEFORE you leave
- Make sure sleeping arrangements are booked or set up before leaving
- Respect people’s need to go to the bathroom during a long ride
- Also make sure to check in and change drivers if highway hypnosis starts (or bad weather as we learned)
- Don’t be afraid to pull over if the weather gets bad!
- If you see something super cool off of the highway, why not check it out!?
- Be kind to border patrol officers and make it easy passing through. Going along with this, make sure to check regulations as far as alcohol or drugs go in entering another country! Don’t want trouble, because that would be a bad call to get as a parent
- Make sure to call or text your parent/guardians when you arrive because a worried parent is terrible to deal with when you want to have fun! Along with this, make sure your phone plans cover travel and let your bank know you are traveling so you can access your money!
- Don’t forget to live in the moment! Take pictures, sure. But don’t forget to enjoy the world around you
- Enjoy and be safe! Don’t let your friend leave with anyone besides your group because despite the fact that so many romances start in a strange city, don’t let a heat of the moment romance blind you from danger
Again, many people’s experiences differ based on friend groups, but no matter who you bring, remember to be safe and have fun! Traveling with friends can be an absolutely amazing experience, enjoy it!