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Riding Solo: Traveling On Your Own For the First Time

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Nicole Germany
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Cara Chiaramonte
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UFL chapter.

 

Collegiettes love to travel. Whether it be flying to study abroad in the land down under or grabbing a few friends for a weekend road trip to the beach, we’re all about it. Traveling gives us the satisfaction of forgetting the worries of life and the little break from reality we can all appreciate. Traveling alone for the first time can be a bit intimidating, but fret not my independent collegiettes because it can be one of the most gratifying experiences of your life. Here are some tips you should remember when traveling on your own for the very first time:


Be Prepared. 
Passport? Check. Money? Check. Boarding Pass? Check. Confident independent travel attitude? Check! There’s nothing more irritating than forgetting a necessary item when preparing for any trip, especially a solo one. It’s important to make a list, and check it 100 times. Traveling alone means you’re on your own and being prepared is crucial because you may not have someone there to lend you an item when you’re in need. It’s important to think of all aspects of the trip from beginning to end. Planning out your days accordingly by activities and weather can be a great way to remember items we’re all guilty of forgetting. Little things such as bug spray, umbrellas, and sunscreen can all add up and cost big in the long run.

Be On Time. 
Time is of the essence. I know we all need our beauty sleep, but don’t push the snooze button again! Get up, get ready, and get excited because it’s your time to shine. From the moment your feet hit the floor every morning of your solo getaway, time’s a-ticking. Every moment you spend should be another minute creating memories that will last a lifetime. The best part of traveling solo is you’re on your own agenda. Enjoy a latte, take a walk in the park, visit a museum, and do it all without being bothered by time constraints. One important piece of advice is check to make sure your clock is sync with your location. A lot of phones automatically reset the time, but you can never be too careful!

Research. 
Researching is particularly important if you’re traveling outside of the country. Taking the time to really get to know the city, its culture, and the language spoken will only benefit you in the end. It’s also great to start a bucket list before arriving. Internet can be expensive in some parts of the world and taking this extra step of doing research will only enhance and benefit your travels.

Have The Time of Your Life. 
Riding solo is a time to find your self and not stress out about the little things. After traveling and navigating a city on your own, you will have a whole new outlook on life. You will feel as though you can do anything. Completing a trip on your own is a sure way to feel truly independent, and you might as well live it up because you only live once, right?

Safe travels, collegiettes!

 

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Nicole Germany is a senior at the University of Florida pursuing a degree in magazine journalism. She is currently on track to graduate fall of 2014 and hopes to land a dream job with a major magazine in New York City. Her current roles include writing for Her Campus at the University of Florida, the inspirational-fashion blog, Hello Perfect and is social media director for She's The First UF.Her previous work experience includes writing for the The Independent Florida Alligator and The Black Sheep Magazine. She also volunteered for Gainesville Fashion Week 2013 where she assisted designers by organizing clothes and other materials for the show.Nicole updates her blog weekly with different entertainment, lifestyle and DIY pieces. Her website also contains relevant online clips and short stories.http://nkgermany.wordpress.com  
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Cara oversees Her Campus Media's community department and serves as strategic lead for the expansion, development and management of all HCM communities, including the Her Campus Chapter Network, InfluenceHer Collective, College Fashionista, Spoon University, Campus Trendsetters, alumni and high school. She works closely with company leadership to develop new community-related sales offerings and the Integrated Marketing team to support all community-focused client marketing programs from end to end. Cara has experience working with high-profile talent, such as Jessica Alba, Andrew Yang, Amber Tamblyn, Aja Naomi King, Troian Bellisario, Jessica Marie Garcia, Nico Tortorella, Nastia Liukin, Rebecca Minkoff, Cecile Richards and Samantha Power, as well as brands like Coca-Cola, L'Oréal Paris, The New York Times, HBO, Uber, H&M and more. Having been a part of the HC family since 2011, Cara served as Campus Correspondent of the HC chapter at the University of Florida where she studied journalism, women’s studies and leadership. A New Yorker turned Floridian, Cara has a Friends quote for any situation. You can usually find her with her friends and family at the beach, a concert or live sports event or binge-watching Grey's Anatomy or Sons of Anarchy. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @thecararose.