A Trip to Remember - My Approach to Post-grad Traveling (1 of 2)

What to do after the whirlwind that was senior year and graduation (and before work starts)?

I had been thinking about doing a post-grad trip for quite some time, as it was something that several older friends had highly recommended.

• Pro-tip #1: Have a Carpe diem mentality! 

In the end, I was fortunate enough to make six stops in places I had never been before and actually ended up flying in an entire loop around the globe.  This was definitely not the initial plan, and as I started to explore different options I was getting hesitant on whether or not I could swing it.

At the end of the day though, when was the next time I would have a full month off once work starts? During my time in college I realized I loved traveling, meeting new people, and experiencing new cultures, so why not go for it (and maintain this mentality throughout the trip)!

• Pro-tip #2: Don't let finances prevent you from going, be strategic - plan and save ahead of time.

Next, I had to begin to build a rough budget and narrow down where I would actually like to go.  In terms of financing, I actually started initially saving for my trip during my summer internship before senior year.  I paid for my entire trip on my own dime, so don't assume I just had the folks lay out the cash while I planned all the fun stuff.  I understand not letting finances hinder you from going somewhere is easier said than done.  Also, I'm not saying you have to go all out and fly around the world - anyone should be able to have some sort of unique travel experience (even if that is cross-country road trip for instance) with disciplined saving, some scrappiness, and a long term mindset. The hardest legitimate hurdle to jump is simply getting enough time off - and you'll never have more of that than the summer before you start a new gig after college!

• Pro-tip #3: See if you can ask for some advice from (or better yet travel with) people who have been there, done that. 

This especially applies if you are like me and may have less than a week in each location (I made six stops, 5 days each).  Traveling spontaneously to places you know nothing about and going with the flow is an awesome option - I've met many very interesting people by staying at hostels and going on unplanned adventures.  However, I think if time is limited, it is beyond helpful to have at least some idea of where you are going, what are must-sees, what is over-rated, etc.  I was lucky enough to plan my trip entirely around friends I could visit and/or stay with in each place.  It was awesome to have a place to stay of course, but more so than that I loved spending time with friends that I didn't always see all the time during school and letting them show me around where they grew up - it made for a super cool, fun, and localized experience. 

• Pro-tip #4: Don't have a rigid plan and accept that things won't always go as expected. 

Having a general plan was important to me since, as I mentioned I only had limited time at each stop. With that in mind, being open to unexpected adventures often leads to the most memorable experiences - such as celebrating Ramadan and the Iftar dinner in Dubai with a newly made friend, meeting a U.S. men's national soccer team defender, or surfing in Hawaii and seeing a sea turtle.  There is, of course, the flip side of the coin of unexpected events as well - like nearly missing a flight, running out of much needed cash in a cash-only train station, or stepping on a sea urchin.  Either way, flexibility and adaptability is the name of the game.

• Pro-tip #5: Take note of the places you go, sites you see, food you try, etc.  

I always wished that I was multi-lingual (still a long-term goal), but alas my English-only vocabulary results in rather humorous attempts at saying things in Japanese, Hindi, Spanish...the list goes on.  My point here is that I could hardly pronounce many of the places I went or food I tried during my trip, let alone remember the specific names and meanings weeks later.  I have always found it very valuable to sit down each night and make a quick note of where I went, the cool things I saw or ate, and pretty much anything traditional or unique to that country that I found interesting.  It only takes 5-10 minutes, and I definitely thank myself down the line when I want to look back at my visit to a particular place.  Simple notes bring back fantastic memories.

• Pro-tip # 6: Clear space on your device to take plenty of photos, but also be sure to look through more than just the screen of a phone at each stop.

I am the first one to admit I probably take too many photos - but hey, I'm okay with that.  One of the reasons I do it is because I personally love to bring my experiences back home to my family who may not have had the chance to go where I've been.  To me, sharing photos from my experience is a neat way to spark fun stories and conversations with everyone back home.  That being said, I also think it is important to put down the DSLR, iPhone, Samsung (especially if it's the Galaxy S7), GoPro, selfie stick....do I need to go on?  The perfect picture is great to share on your Instagram, but keep in mind you can always Google a picture - you can't teleport back to the place (for now at least).

These are just a few thoughts that come to mind as I reflect back on my trip.  I hope you find them helpful - and if you are on the fence about going somewhere new, I hope you decide to take the leap now or in the future.  Let me know where you end up!

@jreed0614