At 19, I travelled to the other side of the world, alone, as a female. It was daunting, intimidating and was the making of me. (Clichè!)
I wonder who I would be without the experiences I have landed in. Perhaps I would still be introverted, private, and reserved. I liked her. That version of me. Something inside of her, though, flickered and fired and she knew she was meant to be someone else.
When I touched down in Melbourne, I took the Skybus to the city centre with my 60L Osprey backpack and watched the sun rise between the skylines.
After my seven weeks of travelling the East Coast of Australia, I spent the rest of my savings I made at home, from my 4 am shifts in a local supermarket, the local library and the local pub, to two weeks in Bali (Clichè!). On my last evening in Bali, I lay on my hostel bed wondering what life at university in September would bring me. It frightened me. The one routine, one city, one group of friends. The introverted, private, reserved person I once was had vanished, and now, stood in her place, an outgoing, free-spirited, brave individual that once lived inside. That evening, in a ‘sliding doors’ moment, I applied for a ski representative job on a whim, shut off my phone and went for dinner with my friends.
The next day I flew home, filled with anxiety as I watched the lights of London pass my window the backdrop of the wing of the plane, I quickly realised I was more frightened of what was to come now than I was when I touched down in Melbourne.
Months passed and I began university, I shifted in the tiered seating of my lectures, fiddled with my empty glass at the pub and bit into the zip of my hoodie in the bed of my halls.
Eighteen months later, completing two ski seasons and embarking on other adventures, I have realised I can do both, and through saving money, I can study and travel. Here are some tips that have really enabled me to do both:
- Season Abroad!
There are lots of season-work jobs that work in between University term-time, just like my ski representative job, I have worked for NUCO, a company focused on university ski trips, which take students abroad in university holidays. I have been able to meet and travel with people my age with similar outlooks to life while earning money! Win-win! Other season jobs include Chalet Hosting in Uni summer holidays, working on a sailboat as a skipper or hostess (my new adventure this summer, with ‘Sailweek’!), or working at summer camps, such as Camp America. Google, TikTok (cliché) and ‘Go Overseas’ have truly been my best friends in this whirlwind and unique experience of travel.
- Book In Advance
Booking in advance grants you the pleasure of cheaper flights and accommodation on your holiday. Your best bet is booking holidays off-season, escaping the timings of school holidays when prices are inflated. Although…I am gonna contradict myself here, last-minute holiday bookings, if you’re a spontaneous soul, where companies are trying to flog their remaining rooms are a steal! Girl math, am I right?
- Go Solo!
As a woman, going solo brings a lot of questions surrounding safety. This is important to research before you begin your expedition, however, don’t let this stop you! Going solo allows you to have flexibility in your schedule, as well as a new opportunity to meet new people. If going alone isn’t your forte, there are lots of groups, such as ‘Gals that Travel’, which allow you to travel with a group of people in the same boat, as well as companies such as Ultimate Travel and Intro Travel.
Hostel World also has a great function where you can talk to people staying at the same hostel at the same time, to get to know people before you get there.
- Study Abroad
Self-explanatory! Still, a great way to incorporate travel into your studying. And you don’t have to stop at your place of study! Trains, buses and your feet are great ways of exploring other surrounding cities, countries and towns.
- Stay Local(ish)!
If going abroad isn’t up your street, or you’d like to explore more of the UK, there are so many travel opportunities in only a couple of hours in a car or train. If you want to stay close to Leeds, the Peak District and the Lake District, as well as Robin Hood Bay, are great places for camping or a hotel stay!
While I still shift in my seat in lecture halls, itching for my next move, that flicker and fire inside of me has been fulfilled and it has truly been the awakening of me. I truly believe your passion for what you love can always be attained with hard work and drive, and perhaps a few handy tips from a Her Campus article!
Written By: Imogen Cox
Edited By: Jessica