Has student life left you with a serious case of the travel bug? The truth is that a craving to see the world can really kick in after months and months of studying, handing in papers and taking exams. A vacation may seem outside of the realm of possibility for a variety of reasons.
Travel can be expensive and take you away from important responsibilities and opportunities on campus. However, the reality is that students can really benefit from the exciting, well-rounded and life-changing experiences that travel can bring. It’s all about being smart about planning how, when and where to travel. Take a look at four tips that traveling college students need to know.
Seek Volunteer or Work Opportunities
What if you could see a new part of the world and boost your résumé and world experience at the same time? It’s all possible if you seek out the right opportunities. You may be able to link up with an organization in another country that is tied to your major and volunteer your time. Organizations like the European Voluntary Service (EVS) are available to help place people between the ages of 18 and 30 in volunteer positions that last anywhere from a few days to a few months.
It’s also possible to make money while enjoying the perks of traveling to a new country.
Have you considered getting TEFL or TESOL certification as a way to open doors for traveling abroad? Having the right certification means you can go nearly anywhere in the world and teach English for a few weeks at a time while having your room and board covered. Of course, it’s always important to research any organization you link up with very thoroughly to ensure that it is credible and safe.
Book Through Agencies That Cater to Student Travelers
Did you know that certain tour agencies actually cater to student travelers and offer packages that are tailored to fit the needs of college-aged customers? Popular agencies like Contiki offer organized packages for hundreds of destinations. Things like food, lodging and excursions are all planned by the agency and worked into the price of your reservation. That makes it easy to book a trip while you’re still busy turning in papers or studying for exams. Indigo Tours and Topdeck are two other agencies that cater to young travelers and student travelers.
Make Sure You Get the ISIC Card
You might be missing out in a big way if you don’t have the ISIC card. The ISIC card is an internationally accepted student identity card. It can unlock access to tons of benefits that will potentially save you tons of money. In fact, the card can be used with 150,000 vendors in more than 130 countries. The ISIC card is endorsed by UNESCO. Some of the travel-related perks include discounts on airfare, food, hotel rooms, train fare and museum passes. You can even download the ISIC global app and sign up for your ISIC virtual ID if you want to get benefits without worrying about carrying around an actual card.
Plan Your Trip Immediately Following a Big Test or Deadline
Nothing is worse than the feeling that some big obligation is lurking over your shoulder when you’re trying to enjoy a vacation. Who can truly enjoy relaxing on a beach or touring a big, bright city when they have a nagging feeling that they should be studying? Avoid the mistake of booking a holiday away a few weeks before you’ll be taking a big exam or sitting for something like the LSAT. You might not be able to enjoy your travels at all if you know a big responsibility is waiting for you back home. Don’t try to convince yourself that there will be time to study while you’re on vacation. The goal should be to get away right after you’ve taken care of everything that’s on your plate for the semester or the year. This should be easy to do once you’ve gotten your semester schedule in your hand or you’ve taken a look at LSAT registration dates to see when testing will take place.
Don’t Let Being a Student Prevent You From Becoming a Traveler
Travel gives you the opportunity to become a student of life regardless of what your major is. It’s true that academic life can make it challenging to book a trip. However, using just a little bit of creativity and rethinking the way a vacation can look can put you in a position to see more of the world. Start planning a life-changing, perspective-changing trip today!