Something that people don’t do enough is travel when they are at uni - it’s the most perfect time to hit up some local spots or go for a road trip from your campus because you’re in that sweet spot between being a teenager and being an adult which means that you’re old enough to drive, you’re responsible enough to take care of yourself but you don’t have all the responsibilities of an adult!
I made sure that I took advantage of my semester break while at university, and while many of my peers who are international students flew home for the summer, I went on an adventure instead. Because what was the point of flying 10 hours to go back to a country you’ve lived your whole life in, why not spend that money chasing local sights and scenes, and make the best out of the opportunity you’ve been given?
Planning where to go
Being an international student, I felt spoilt for choice. I could go up to the mountains in Dandenong and do the touristy thing or spend a day at the Melbourne zoo. I could also be a little more adventurous and drive to Sydney (and check out the Blue Mountains) or fly to Hobart. I even seriously considered a solo trip, but I wasn’t that adventurous so I roped in a couple of buddies. After a discussion with my mates that would be joining me on the trip and weighing our options with travel tips from other travellers, and even taking heed of the advice from a professional local SEO agency to help plan the best trip, we decided to go with Sydney since it was the nearest city that held any interest for us. Plus, the Sydney opera house was something you couldn’t just come to Australia and not visit.
Preparing before the trip
I am not so spontaneous that I can just up and go without a moment’s notice. I made sure to inform my parents and housemates where I will be headed. I also bought travel insurance for peace of mind. You never know what might happen and it’s always better to be safe than sorry. I made the necessary bookings with the car rental company and accommodation and it was just a matter of counting down to the trip.
Going on the trip
There was seriously nothing I could regret from going on that trip, it was such an eye-opening experience and I was glad we went to Sydney because it was so vastly different from Melbourne. The infrastructure, the roads and even the culture there was distinctively their own.
What I learned from the trip
Surprisingly, going on the trip made me much more focused on my studies and I couldn’t wait for the next term to start (and for the next semester break because I already had new plans on what I wanted to do). I think it was because I spent all my pent up energy on the trip and all that was left was a thirst for learning. Plus, travelling as a student is so much cheaper thanks to all the student discounts and concessions, even if you are an international student. I’m definitely going on that solo trip next.
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