With the stress of finals, comes the stress of packing! We all just can’t wait to get home to smell the Christmas tree, or see the Hanukkah lights, or just sip hot cocoa in the privacy of our own room.
But how are you getting home? Here are just a few travel tips that hopefully make your ride, flight, train ride or walk home from campus easier and more enjoyable!
Driving?
$$$: Make sure you have saved up some gas money! Even with money saved, think about how many states you have to travel to, and try to take routes where you can get the cheapest gas, possibly without sales tax!
Driving with a friend is always more fun, plus it’s somebody to help split the gas cost! Whether you make a karaoke session, talk about life, or just need some company, bringing a friend along is always a safer idea, so another set of eyes are on the road.
Flying?
$$$: Plane tickets are never cheap, but you can definitely lower your travel costs by packing smart. Try to only bring one bag of luggage to check, since bags on Delta and other airlines charge you up to $20 for the first bag, and the costs go up on each bag!
Packing: Roll your clothes! Instead of simple fold-and-stack method, try folding your clothes as usual, then roll them like you would a sleeping bag. It seriously saves so much more space in your suitcase, which means saving more money in your wallet.
Definitely being something to keep you occupied. Not all flights show movies, so bring a book, journal, drawing materials, or a pillow to catch up on the sleep you missed in finals week!
Train?
$$$: Taking the Amtrak train is usually a lot cheaper than flying. However, it can take a lot longer. For example, going from University of Montana to Chicago, Illinois, is about $200 on the train, but it is a 30 hour trip. Compared to the $600 plane ticket, with the 5 hour (1stop) flight.
Packing: Amtrak allows you to bring a total of 6 bags, with the first 3 free. They let you being bikes, strollers, and skis as well. If you need to bring a lot of equipment home for the holidays and don’t need to rush home, think about the train!
The train is usually a longer ride than the train, but you don’t need the focus of driving. Usually the scenery is beautiful, since the train goes through land that cars sometimes can’t. So bring a book and sit in the observation car!