Over winter break, I took my first trip by myself. Sure, I have flown by myself to see relatives and such, and I’ve taken trips with only friends. But I hadn’t ever traveled by myself. It was an eye opening experience, and one that I recommend to anyone. There is quite a bit to be said for having so much freedom when you travel. You aren’t depending on or waiting on anyone for any of your experiences. Traveling with friends and family is an amazing gift, but traveling by yourself is a whole other ball game. Along the way, I had many struggles and learned about myself and how to adapt to the travel situations that I had previously been walked through. Today, I want to share some of those lessons to hopefully help you make a trip like this with yourself one day.
- Be prepared to charge your plans— again and again.
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I have always been a Type A personality. My color-coded planner is a testament to that. I like to have a solid idea of what I’ll be doing and when I’ll be doing it. With any trip, there needs to be some flexibility, and I would argue that you need even more when you travel alone. When I first landed, I was so sick and jet lagged that I missed some of the things I wanted to do that first day. But that previous schedule was easily shifted and reprioritized so that I felt that I completed everything I wanted to before I moved on to the next city. Don’t be afraid to say f*ck it to the schedule you made and start from scratch.
- There’s nothing better than making a new friend to have an adventure with.
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Memories of my trip have been made so much better by the people I met along the way. This is as simple as remembering the man who kindly helped me find the correct train in the subway station or the friends I took day trips with. Whether it’s an entire day’s adventures, a meal out or even just getting suggestions from people along the way, it makes the biggest difference. Yes, I came to experience a new country and place, but a place always has more to offer than just its sights and foods, so spend time interacting (at least a little bit) with those around you.
- You are capable and self-sufficient.
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I know that I needed to hear this before I left. My family and friends were very supportive and optimistic, but self-doubt easily sets in. You have made it this far in life, and you can make it a little farther. No challenge that you can run into along the way is insurmountable. Even if you need a little help from back home, you will make it and go on to take yourself to amazing places.
- Even if you don’t speak the language (which I didn’t), you can make it by with a few words (and the help of Google Translate).
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Before leaving for Japan, I did take a semester and a half of Japanese. That was woefully short of what I needed to actually say, which was much more than to simply introduce myself or ask where the toilet was. In stores and looking at menus, I was able to use the camera function to live translate. You can also save phrases that you think will be useful and practice them on the plane over!
- Be cautious, but also trusting.
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Let’s be honest, I’m a woman who went on a trip by herself. That’s a bit of a scary prospect. The world isn’t always as safe as we’d like it to be. It’s good to be cautious and to be aware of your surroundings. Obviously, avoid following strange men down alleys at night. But, at the same time, you can’t spend your whole trip hyperaware. It’s exhausting and makes the trip less enjoyable. Instead, find those places where you can be more relaxed. For me, this was going to different coffee shops throughout the trip. Nothing feels cozier than chilling in a coffee shop and reflecting on your day. Public places with lots of people offer safety in witnesses, and you can allow yourself to relax and enjoy it a little bit more.
- And lastly, if you’re a vegetarian/vegan, get Happy Cow.
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This is in no way sponsored. I paid $3 for the app just like everyone else. But it made the biggest difference on my trip. I was struggling to find places to eat that had vegetarian options when my bunkmate at the hostel, Becky, suggested Happy Cow. It maps and reviews local restaurants that have veg options. It’s basically veg Yelp. Having to stress less about always being able to find somewhere to eat lifted a lot of that travel anxiety off of my shoulders.
Of course, I learned more than this in my trip, but these are the things that I think will be most helpful to pass on. Nothing will boost your confidence like taking a trip on your own. Knowing that you can do it all, handle any problems and come out on the other side with wonderful experiences and stories to tell, you’ll realize that you can handle anything. When you’re ready and able to take that leap, keep some of this advice in mind to help you make your trip the best it can be!