As the holiday season approaches, academic vacations will follow, meaning you’re going to want to get off campus. Whether you’re going home to see family, going to Mexico with a group of friends, or even if you end up staying on campus, these ten tips will help you out with future traveling endeavors.
1. Calories don’t count when you’re on the road
Whether you pack homemade food before leaving or only buy food once you get on the road, make sure you actually want to eat it. There are health conscious people and taste conscious people and those who fall in the middle, so whether you’re into potato chips or quinoa salads (or both), you shouldn’t feel bad about your diet choices. This goes for life in general, but it especially applies on road trips, because a car on a road trip is like a vacuum, so whatever happens is unaffected by the real world and vice versa.
2. You’re never too old to play fun car games
Car games are such a fun way to pass the time and there are so many that exist, so you will never run out. You can play traditional games, find new ones, or make them up as you go along. Among my favorites are “Would You Rather,” the game where you create backstories for all the crap drivers that cut you off, and the “riff-off” game seen in Pitch Perfect where someone sings a song and another person connects the song lyrics to another song by starting with the same lyrics they end on.
3. If you can help it, pull over at truck stops and travel centers, not rest areas and regular gas stations
Because truck stops were created with the intention of serving truck drivers’ needs, they tend to be fully equipped with most necessities: food, medicine, entertainment, etc. Travel centers also tend to have more food options and a wider selection of useful items such as phone chargers, pillows, etc. Unlike gas stations, they tend to have more amenities and the bathrooms are almost always cleaner.
4. Avoid arguing at all costs
The only thing worse than being in a car when you’re tired and tired of being in said car is being in a car tired and also tired of the people you’re with. The car ride becomes about 10 times less bearable when you’re annoyed at your fellow passenger(s) so just wait until you are at your destination to duke it out. Until then, circumvent the topics that will result in arguments.
5. Keep up your personal hygiene
This should absolutely be a given. No one wants to be in a confined space with a person who reeks of onions. So don’t reek of onions. Try to brush your teeth and put on deodorant, and if you are able to shower, do so as often as possible, because clean people are happy people.
6. Dress comfortably
I know you may want to look cute and you can still dress stylishly, but just don’t sacrifice your comfort. You might regret wearing those super hot, super tight shorts when its 3 a.m., you’re cramped, and you can’t get proper blood circulation to your legs. Wear what you want, but keep your well-being in mind.
7. Pee at EVERY stop
It doesn’t matter if you haven’t had water in days (which is not healthy btw—drink water!). You need to at least try to urinate every single time you pull over. It saves time in the long run when you can consolidate gas breaks, food breaks, and pee breaks. It helps if you can try to schedule an estimated number of stops you’ll make over the course of the road trip.
8. Keep a plastic bag around for trash
It’s nice to reduce clutter, especially when in a confined space, so keep a common area for trash. Tuck a plastic grocery bag behind a seat or at someone’s feet so you guys aren’t swimming in garbage by the time you’ve reached your destination.
9. Do what you’ve been wanting to do
If there was a hobby you wanted to take up, now is the time to try it. You’ve got several hours ahead of you to do whatever you want, whether that means knitting, songwriting, or catching up on Game of Thrones—so do it!
10. Music is so, so important
Make your playlist(s) beforehand. If you’re with friends and you all have the same music taste, then that’s great; you don’t have to worry about prospective disputes regarding Vampire Weekend versus Kendrick Lamar. But if you have different music palates, either rotate among one another by song, driver, or half hour time slots. This can eliminate so much resentment that can build from everyone but the driver hating Halsey.