Road Trip on a College Budget
Aug 05, 2019
5 Tips On Road Tripping As A College Student On A College Budget
Grab your roomies and hit the road!
As college students, our bank account is drastically dropping, whether that be because of late night coffee runs or student bills like tuition. This can be really difficult especially since this is the time of your life when you want to be adventurous and try new things! So, rather than scrolling and living vicariously through your Instagram feed, take a trip of your own! Now, I know you may be thinking - how can I do that when traveling is SO expensive? Well fear not, we have you covered with 5 tips and ideas that can help you experience this world we live on!
1. Book a day trip or a long weekend vacation.
This is something you can do a lot, and de-stress from all your homework. Get together with your friends (and roomies) and decide to go on a day trip to a cool spot a few hours away to adventure outside or even scout out new coffee shops. This way, you really only have to pay for food or chip in for gas. With a lot of friends, you’ll maybe spend $30 and you’ll make great memories for the day. Another option, if you have more time, maybe plan a weekend trip to a city you have been wanting to visit. You can stay with someone you know, but AirBnB is a GREAT option too. Plus, you can find some really cool places for really cheap.
2. Plan out your activities or “must-sees” beforehand.
When you and your BFF’s decide to go to a city for the weekend, plan out different restaurants, coffee shops, and activities that you want to do. This helps you to predict how much money to bring/spend and also keeps you on a schedule rather than just sitting in the hotel or AirBnB all day. Go online and look up places with really cool reviews or places that make for cute Instagram spots! (PRO TIP: Type in the location of where you are wanting to visit into Instagram and see what people post about the area! Sometimes you can find a local hotspot!)
3. Check out FREE places!
As a college student, you probably don’t wanna be spending tons of money on your trip because the actual travel expenses can add up pretty quickly. So, look for activities like a local beach, state park, hiking trails, or even just sightsee for one day! These things are free and can be really fun when you make the most of it. For example, if you hit up a beach, bring a blanket, some snacks from home, and an awesome road trip playlist that you made. Chill in the water, maybe bring a ball to pass around, and make some fun YET cheap memories with your friends!
4. Do an Instagram photoshoot.
Did you even go if there are no pictures to prove it? I know you were scrolling social media daydreaming of your traveling experiences, so why not take some cute pictures to show the world where you went? Get multiple outfits ready and hunt out cute photo opportunities. (PRO TIP: Google “cute spots in *insert city* to take insta pictures”, and something will pop up!) Have fun with it and get some props like an iced coffee or a pair of sunglasses and strike your best pose! This is a great thing to do on trips because taking pictures is free and you can make a whole day out of it.
5. Say YES more often.
By saying yes, you will be open to more opportunities that you would’ve if you said no. This has been something that is HUGE for people in college. This is the stage in your life to venture out and try new things! It can get you out of your comfort zone, instead of just saying “no” and forgetting about it. By saying yes to spontaneous things such as day trips or special activities, you will make a lot of memories. Skip class to go to the beach? Say yes. Weekend trip to big city? Say yes. Go hike 4 miles to see an incredible view? Say yes.
In order to have the “full college experience”, you don’t have to go across the world, or even across the entire state. Grab some of your closest friends, drive a few hours, bring food from home, and go explore. You’ll regret it if you don’t, so why not just go? Traveling doesn’t have to break the bank as long as you are smart about your decisions. Don’t go crazy, but splurge a little. You can always make back the money, but you can’t always make back the memories.
