Travel Tips for College Students

Weekend trips to different countries are almost a part of the lifestyle of studying abroad. With only about a month left in the semester, I would like to present the travel tips I’ve learned to adhere to as a poor college student trying to experience the world. At this point, I have visited about seven different countries and 12 different cities. Yes, it has been fantastic. And yes, it has taken a toll on the welfare of my bank account. In places that are oh-so-expensive (shout out to Switzerland), my friends and I survived by eating makeshift meals with food from the grocery store. 

Culturally, traveling around Europe has its differences that I had to learn…primarily, the hard way. In Paris, if the waiter sets a bowl of bread on your table and you touch it, you pay for it. Do you have to pee? Get your change ready. In Rome, the chances of you being over-charged for a taxi is not high, but rather, guaranteed. Wow, you managed to eat a meal for £12? Don’t be too excited, you have just spent a little over $16. In Barcelona, if you are surrounded by a lot of people and feel a weird aura, you’ve just been pickpocketed.

I know this doesn’t sound great. Unfortunately, this is a part of traveling that I’ve come to have a love-hate relationship with. I’ve only highlighted the things travelers should be wary of, but trust me, there are SO many more things that make you fall in love with each place. Here are four very brief tips for traveling in Europe.