One of the perks of studying abroad is the opportunity to travel, yet many are daunted by the prospect of planning a trip on their own for the first time. Use these tips to help avoid common mistakes and plan a fun weekend trip abroad!
Plan Early
With midterms and finals competing against prospective trips and a new culture to explore, the academics can easily fall off the top of the list. Make sure to make a list of blackout dates, including weekends before major exams or papers, and events happening in your study abroad area that you wouldn't want to miss. With a limited amount of time, planning early ensures that all you will fit all your top destination choices into your limited amount of time. As an added bonus, tickets also cost less the earlier they are booked.
Make a List of Top Destinations
Study abroad attracts people with a desire to travel and explore, meaning that sometimes narrowing down a list of places to see can be difficult. Make a list of your top choices and advise your friends to do the same. Compare choices and try to find people who want to visit the same places. Be open to other suggestions as well, some out-of-the-way places offer the best experiences. Making a list helps to narrow down the multitude of places you probably want to see and helps to organize the chaos that can arise when all your friends are trying to plan trips as well.
Create a Budget
No one wants to think about money when they are faced with the chance to explore new lands and cultures, but inevitably it will have to be a concern. Planning trips and destinations ahead of time will help to make this something that you can get out of the way and stop worrying about early on. Take your top trip choices and look at prices for flights and hotels/hostels for all of them. Don't forget to check different dates to see if the prices change.
Figure out how much money you have to spend on travel, without leaving you with nothing to live on, and then plan out a rough estimate of flight and accommodations for each possible destination. While there are other considerations, such as food, souvenirs, and the cost of traveling around the city to consider, flight and lodging expenses are a good place to start off to see if a destination fits into your budget.
How to Book a Flight
There are many different sites that can be used to book a flight. Generally flights from discount websites, such as Travelocity or EasyJet, are cheaper than buying directly from an airline. Look at various dates and check back a few times because sometimes ticket prices fluctuate during the week. Travelocity deals with various airline companies and offers discounted ticket prices. Easy Jet is an airline company that specializes in discounted airline travel in Europe. Easy Jet is a good option for students who don't care about in-flight amenities, just make sure you read their requirements on baggage because they are incredibly strict and no one wants to be stuck with a 50 euro bag check fee at the airport.
Book Hostels
Hostels offer travelers a cheap alternative to hotels. With their increasing popularity, many are well-kept and offer the opportunity to socialize with other travelers. Sites, such as Hostel World, are useful for searching for hostels in different cities and reading reviews. Many have communal or shared bathrooms, so read the reviews carefully and consider your options. Try and find a place that is within walking distance of places you would like to visit and also look at how they are rated for cleanliness. If you choose a hostel over a hotel, remember to bring flip flops, a towel for showers, and a lock because some places offer lockers. Also, if you are traveling in a group, make sure to book the hostel under one name so that the group doesn't get split up. It is also recommended that you print out a confirmation of your reservation to avoid any possible problems.
Research the Cities
Research the destination! Check the weather to make sure that you are packing appropriately. Give contact numbers to your study abroad school as well, in the event that a flight gets canceled or any other problems arise. Figure out how to get from the airport to the hostel or hotel, and vice versa. If you are taking public transportation, consider printing out a map or buying one, if possible. Make a list of places you want to see and try to group things together based on what areas they are in, so that you can fit everything into one awesome weekend.
Kristen Micek - Kristen Micek is an avid traveler, movie-goer, and reader and can't help but write about it. She writes both fiction and non-fiction.
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