We travel for many reasons - mainly for business or leisure. But in reality, I know that many of us also travel for pleasure.
Sounds nice, right? Traveling for your own amusement. Well, the problem with this is simply that just like everything else in life, in order to do something, you have to make the time to do it.
As a college student, making time sounds like its nearly impossible and is almost foreign to us. With schedules loaded with activities, classes, and work from morning to night, making time is not an easy task to take on. Luckily, with the help of my knowledge, this difficulty will soon become a worry of the past. So sit back, relax, and grab a cup of coffee or two as you read these many tips that will help you find time to travel, and most importantly, be smart about it.
1. Use a calendar to plan trips around schoolwork.
Between exams, class, and who knows what else, it is sometimes hard to stay organized. Using a calendar or planner is one of the best ways to stay on top of everything you have going on. For instance, every time your professor tells you a due date of an assignment or the day of an exam, mark it in your calendar, because maybe you will be able to find time to take three days off to travel. I know, three days doesn't seem like a lot of time, but traveling doesn't come with a rulebook, so whether you go near or far it doesn't matter.
2. Make the most out of every summer.
As college students, our summertime is vital to our future careers. With the pressures of getting an internship or a job, we can't forget that summer is also a time meant for travel and pure relaxation.
3. Use Kayak to save money.
If you are on a low budget like most college students, using Kayak is one of the best ways to find reasonable flights to any city of your choosing. Comparing rates from airline to airline can guarantee that you will almost always get the best deal that could possibly fit into your tight budget.
4. Have a goal in mind.
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Before going on an adventure, it is imperative to have a goal in mind or a reason behind going to that destination. If your reasoning is that you just want to go to a new place, go for it. If your reasoning is that you have to go to a business conference, go for it. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter why you are going to that certain destination - travel is travel.
5. Have a plan for each day.
Once you decide where you are going and how much time you can be in that one place, make sure to have a set plan for what you will be doing each day you are there. This is a vital part of your traveling experience since your time there may be short-lived and jam-packing a lot of activities into a couple of days may need to be done to ensure you have the best trip possible.
6. Be spontaneous.
A road trip with friends is never a bad idea. Whether you decide to visit another college town or go to another city nearby, doing something on the spur of the moment is always exciting.
7. Remember to have fun.
Life sometimes gets in the way of having fun. When you travel, make sure to always have a smile on your face and a positive attitude, because if you don't, your experience may not live up to the expectations you have.
8. Enjoy every minute you have once you get to your destination.
Once you arrive, the clock will start ticking away, and in the blink of an eye, your trip will soon be coming to an end. As you pack your bags up, head to the airport or start your drive home, you are going to wish you had that time back, so make sure to enjoy every moment of it!
9. Take pictures.
Joanna Kosinska
Remember that a picture is worth a thousand words. And who knows, maybe in 15 years you are going to want to tell your children about that one time you traveled to a certain place. For myself, I know that my trip to Israel will be one that I'll share for the rest of my life and luckily I will have pictures that can help tell my story.