After a late September foray into Belgrade, a weekend in Amsterdam, and a whirlwind journey through Berlin, Prague, Vienna, and Budapest, I’m starting to get a lot of questions about traveling while abroad. Namely, I’m starting to get a lot of questions from people about how I’ve managed to fit in so many destinations while not (completely) dying of exhaustion, fatigue, all those good things. Don’t I have homework? How do I find the money to travel so much? Am I not keeling over from lack of sleep and a diet that now consists solely of pastries and nothing else?
I mean, sure. But there are ways to get around all of those. Based on your questions (and concerns), I’ve compiled the biggest tips that have helped me make the most of my travels around Europe.
First, plan early
I can’t emphasize how important this first step is. While your week-long break (if you get a week-long break) can be a month and a half away, DO NOT assume that you have all the time in the world to plan your trip. You might be able to put it off for two or three weeks, but after that you really need to step it up or you might be left with nowhere to go.
How would that happen? Think about it: flight and train prices rise, hotels and hostels fill up, festival tickets sell out, your own homework starts getting in the way, and more. Round-trip flights to and from Belgrade rose by as much as a hundred Euros three weeks before I left, a trip to Barcelona had to be postponed to Thanksgiving because train prices had risen to astronomical levels, and a friend and I spent an extra day looking for an Amsterdam hostel since the rest had filled up.
Frankly, it doesn’t matter if you’re staying in the country or traveling outside, there are more than enough impeding factors that could pop up to stop you from going everywhere you want to go.
So instead of scrambling at the last minute and plaguing yourself with some really unnecessary stress, start planning, researching, and booking way in advance. Who would you travel with? Where would you go? When would you go? How would you get there? Where would you stay? When would you leave? It’s best to have all of these questions answered (and bookings done) a good month or so before you actually travel so you know exactly what’s going on.
Money matters
Besides evading a lot of last-minute stress, you also want to plan early so you can budget early. It doesn’t matter whether or not you’re studying in an expensive city, traveling will incur extra costs that you want to prepare for.
Aside from paying transportation fees, set aside money for souvenirs, food, going out, and a little extra in case you run into trouble. How much money you bring will largely depend on where you’ll be traveling and how long you’ll be on the road, but be prepared for any sudden expenses that may pop up, like any medical emergencies!
If you’re traveling through different countries, be sure to also plan for any currency changes that may happen along the way. It’s best to research exchange rates before you leave so you know where to get the best rates during your travels.
What are your limits?
Finally, realize that as much as it is a break of some sorts, traveling is still going to be extremely tiring. This is going to be especially true if you’re planning on hitting up a few cities during your trip, making it a pretty good idea to think about how you’ll hold up as you travel. I learned this the hard way the first day I got to Budapest, feeling like I was going to collapse after having traveled through three cities.
So as a final parting word, definitely try to see all the places you want to see, but keep in mind that you have your own physical limits, too. Before you book, think about how your own body will keep up as you travel, and let that be a gauge for how much, and how quickly, you want to move from place to place.