As a 20-year-old female and an only child, I am extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to travel the world quite a bit. As a sophomore at the University of Connecticut, I had the chance to study abroad for an entire semester and took it. I spent four months living in Italy, traveling to 11 different countries, and experiencing a different culture all by myself. I applied to this program and accepted the offer without knowing anyone else going. I boarded a flight in Jan. 2023, with no knowledge of what this experience would be like. Of course, these four months in Italy turned out to be the most amazing, life-changing time of my life. I grew so much personally, and I hope that one day everyone can travel around the world and participate in the amazing wonders of different cultures. I lived in a small city in the middle of Italy, with very few tourists, and a three-hour train ride to the nearest large-scale airport. This caused quite long travel days, so I am here to tell you the best travel tips I found to hopefully make this process easier for others.
TIP #1: Pack Light
My #1 tip for you (the golden rule to follow) is to pack light! The cheapest flights are the ones where all you are allowed is a small backpack, and the only way you will save money is by choosing this option. The flight attendants will be scoping out everyone’s bags while you wait in line to board, and if your bag is too big, they will charge you. Not only can overpacking get expensive, but it can be physically painful too. It is extremely difficult to drag a suitcase around Europe, with the cobblestone roads and millions of stairs. It will be a thousand times easier if all you have is a backpack, but this also means you will have to carry it on your back for a decent amount of time. The less you pack, the less back pain. You can wear jeans, tops, and jackets more than once, and laundry is also always available.
Tip #2: Sleep during transportation
My second piece of advice to you is to sleep during transportation. Planes, trains, and taxis are all your new bed. The more you sleep during transportation, the less you need to sleep upon your arrival, and the more time you can spend exploring this new place. This is the only way I was able to see so many amazing things; I tried my best to not waste precious time in each city on sleep.
Tip #3: Bring a Secured Bag
The #3 rule is to bring some sort of belt bag or fanny pack. Pickpocketers are everywhere in Europe. The best thing you can do to keep items like your phone, passport, and credit card safe is to have them strapped to your body at all times. You don’t want to risk losing any of these things.
Tip #4: Travel Early
My fourth tip is to take the earliest transportation available to you. Never before did I think I would be sleeping on the floor of the airport waiting for my 5 AM flight, but this was the only way I was able to see as much as I did, and it was always worth it. Sometimes things are inconvenient at the time, but in the end, I never once regretted the nights spent at the airport or on a bus.
Tip #5: Try New Things!
My final tip to you is to try new things everywhere you go. This is the most important thing you can do. It’s okay to be scared or nervous, but the best part about traveling is getting to see and experience a new culture. Fully immersing yourself in this new place, from the food to the language to the people, is the entire point of travel. Â
Living and studying abroad for 5 months was easily the most exciting thing I have ever done in my life. I learned so much, not only about different cultures but also about myself. I grew so much as a person and would not trade those months for anything else. I firmly believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to travel, and should try their best to see the world as much as they can because it is such an amazing place that we get to call home!