Things to Consider before Traveling After College Ends
BY JANE HURST
Now that you are graduating from university, what are your plans for the immediate future? Have you thought that you might like to do some traveling before you settle into your career? You have the freedom to do it, and there is no time like the present. But, just because you do have that freedom, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t several things that you need to consider before you just take off. The more you plan ahead of time, the better your post-university travels are going to be, and the more you will be able to enjoy yourself. Let’s take a look at some of the things that you need to consider before traveling once you have graduated.
- Your Destination
Obviously, one of the first things you need to think about is where you are going to travel to. For instance, do you love the idea of backpacking across Europe, or would you rather go to a tropical island, or some remote destination? Once you figure out where it is that you want to go, you can really start getting into planning your trip, including what to pack and your exact itinerary.
- The Weather
One of the main things to consider about any location you want to travel to is the weather. After all, you want to make sure that you pack accordingly. You are not going to want a snowsuit in the middle of a tropical jungle, and you are not going to want a bathing suit in the middle of Alaska during the winter. Make sure that you research other things about the area as well, such as local transit, restaurant prices, etc. so you can travel within your budget.
- Working while Traveling
If you don’t think you can afford to travel after graduation, think again. There are plenty of opportunities for working while traveling, so you can basically work your way across almost any country. Opportunities include working as a farm hand, an AU Pair, volunteering as a missionary (your expenses are paid), etc. Or, you may want to become a remote worker, which allows you to set your own hours and work from anywhere.
- Bring the Right Gear
The closer it gets to travel time, make sure that you have a list of everything that you are going to need to take with you. There are some things you may need and that you cannot get in some parts of the world. “If you will be traveling with a DSLR camera, make sure you have extra memory cards, a USB stick or hard drive, a card reader for downloading photos, etc. It is a good idea to get into the habit of downloading photos at the end of each day to make room for new ones,” suggests an expert from Sell Laptop service.
- Booking in Advance
The more you can plan in advance, the better. Sure, it may sound like fun to just fly by the seat of your pants, but the reality of the situation could be much less fun, and you could find yourself in some pretty strange situations. Therefore, it is a good idea to book as much as possible in advance. Research the best room rates, hostels, etc. Look for places that offer free services, free food (buffets, breakfasts, etc.) so you can save as much money as possible.
- Be Open about Travel Options
Sometimes, you have the best experiences when they aren’t planned, or happen at the last minute. Yes, you do need to plan your itinerary, but you should always leave some room for last-minute changes in plans. In fact, leave a couple of free days in your itinerary so you don’t miss anything due to bad weather, not feeling well, etc. Or, plan to spend an extra day or two exploring each stop, without any particular plans in mind.
Byline:
Jane Hurst has been working in education for over 5 years as a teacher. She loves sharing her knowledge with students, is fascinated about edtech and loves reading, a lot. Follow Jane on Twitter.
