As graduation approaches, it might seem like the only option is to find a graduate job, I mean, it is what everyone around you is probably doing, but spending some time travelling can also be a great thing for you to do. Plans for after graduation should be set depending on you and what you need, not on what everyone else is doing or telling you to do.
For many graduates, the idea of traveling is tempting. But when friends are tied to jobs or simply just not interested in travelling around the world, that dream starts to feel unrealistic. This is when solo traveling comes in. It is true that the idea to travel on your own might feel scary, but you just need to get the confidence to embark on this next adventure. You will not only experience different cultures, but you will also learn to be alone, and in this process, you will likely learn so much that you didn't know about yourself.
But how can we get confidence? We all have fears and confidence doesn't come to us from one day to another, so how do we decide that it is time to book the trip, pack our bags, and just go? Well, we need to consider some essential things.
First of all, always let someone know where you are! When you are solo traveling, you have the freedom to decide as you go, you can choose your next destination when you are just in the previous one, you can suddenly decide to go to the other end of the world. This means you might not have a set itinerary, so always have someone that you can tell your next destination to. Send them the details of your flight, your train, and where you are staying, this will make you feel more confident and safer.
Something essential to do before embarking on this journey is to make a budget! If you know how much you can spend, you can be more organised before and during your trip, and this might make you feel a lot better. You might decide beforehand every place that you are visiting, where you are staying and when you are coming back, or you can set a return date and a maximum spend. I met a girl in a hostel 2 years ago that told me that she had 5 months to travel, a maximum spend, and that she would come back home the moment one or the other came to an end; I thought that was such a brave and intelligent way of travelling. And although she felt confident then, she did tell me that the first time she did something like this she was terrified. Now, this is her lifestyle. As you can see, there are many ways and combinations to do this, but however you decide to do it, making a budget will help you be more confident in your decisions!
But if safety is not your concern, doing things alone might be. It feels daunting to eat out on your own, to have no one to talk to, visit places on your own... There is often the worry of what will people think? But the reality is that most people aren't paying attention. They are distracted by their own lives, their own concerns. And if you think about it, when was the last time you judged someone for being alone? Often, it is the opposite. It feels admirable. Learning to enjoy your own company is part of the journey, but it feels scary, you might feel more confident trying these activities out in a place where you feel more comfortable: like the city you already live in and know. So, go to the coffee shop that you really like, your favorite restaurant, go on a walk, learn to be alone, and feel confident in your own skin.
But if complete independence feels like too much, there are always ways in which you can travel alone but be with other people at the same time. There is an app called Worldpackers that offers volunteering opportunities for a wide range of activities such as social media, farming, gardening, teaching, and so many more where you stay in people's houses, hotels, etc. With projects like this you will still be travelling alone, but you will be staying with people who have references, profiles and reviews. This might make you feel safer, more confident, and would also mean that you would be helping others, gaining experience, and acquiring new skills.
Ultimately, finding the confidence to solo travel starts with understanding what is holding you back. Once you identify these fears, you can take steps to manage them.
Finishing university doesn't have to mean choosing the safest, most predictable path. Sometimes graduating can be the beginning of something you would have never expected, of something far less certain, but transformative, something that is right for you.
But the confidence you are looking for might not come before you leave; it might be something you find along the way.