9 Tips for Weekend Travel While Studying Abroad

In the fall of my junior year of college, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to study abroad in London, England.

Before going to college, I never thought about studying abroad or really knew anything about it for that matter. It wasn't until my sophomore year that my roommate told me she was going and that I should go too. She told me about all the benefits of studying abroad, but what hooked me was the idea of traveling to a different country every weekend. Once that possibility was in my mind, I couldn't let it go.

There is no secret that traveling is expensive. This was the one aspect of studying abroad that I struggled with. From the hotels to airfare and all the experiences, it does add up. I found it ideal to put aside a certain amount of money for each trip ($500-$650) and to plan accordingly. It definitely wasn't easy and there were more expensive destinations that I had to pass up. But I learned some tricks along the way that allowed me to save money wherever I could.

If you are planning on studying abroad, here are 9 tips from my experience that I would have liked to have known before I traveled through Europe.

Hostel vs Hotel

Unless you are going to an all-inclusive resort or the hotel is the main experience of your travel, do not book a hotel. Hotels are more expensive, especially in some of the major cities. Hostels provide the bare essentials that you need—a bathroom and a bed—so you can spend your money on activities and awesome food at your destination.

Hostels are a plus for night life! For those who want this experience, choose a hostel. The one I stayed at in Copenhagen had a large bar on the first floor and was the hub for young travelers from around Europe and the U.S. We didn't have to spend money on transportation to go out, just had to walk down a couple of stairs. It was easily one of my favorite European night life experiences.

Use Expedia.

If you or a family member do not already have an account, make one. Expedia gives you all possible options of based on distance from city center, price, and availability for both hostels and hotels. The best part is that Expedia gives discounted prices for members—very helpful!

Airlines

Typically, Ryan Air is known as the go-to, cheap way to fly through Europe. Other students that I knew from my program used this airline, but it always followed with some sort of drama about cancellations or extremely bad delays.

I talked to my cousin, who lives in London, about what's a non-expensive and reliable airline to use. He suggested Easy Jet. The prices don't break the bank and offer hundreds of flights from most airports. We used Easy Jet for majority of our travels and never had any real problems.

Plan your experiences.

The only downside to studying abroad is that you typically only have Friday-Sunday to travel. In order to make the most from the limited time you have, plan out each day before you arrive. We jam packed our days full of events and made sure that we got to do everything we wanted to. This also made us more excited in the upcoming days before traveling because we got to know all the fun things we were about to experience.

Currency

Carrying cash is something that I rarely do. I rely on my credit and debit card, especially while living in London. But I did not know what countries outside of England took my card. Before leaving London, I would get about $85 worth of the new country's currency. It's smart to have some of their currency for any sort of occasion or emergency where they only take cash.

If you're staying in London, never use the Currency Exchange stands that are on the street corners. Go to any post office that has a currency exchange inside because they don't charge you for the exchange.

Also, if you find yourself with a few bucks left over by the end of your trip, it makes a cool souvenir from that country!

Pack only what you need.

Trust me when I say I'm an over packer. It is one of my weaknesses. But when traveling for only a few days at a time, I didn't find it necessary to bring a large suitcase. I would bring a duffle bag that I could use as a carry-on. With most airlines, you are allowed to bring one carry-on and one personal bag. Having a checked bag would be an extra cost, so spend your money wisely and only pack what can fit in a carry-on.

Discounts, Discounts, Discounts!

Use EVERY opportunity for discounts that is presented to you. There are tons of discounts just from being a student. Some experiences, like museums, usually offer a lower rate for students. If a student option is not presented to you, ask if there is one! These type of places tend to accommodate students.

One thing that I did not know was that hostels have a ton of discounts on tickets for majority of the main tourist experiences. We discovered this when arriving at our hostel in Amsterdam. The prices are a lot lower and by getting your tickers ahead of time, you get to skip the ticket line at the place you're going to. It's a win-win.

Through most universities, like mine, it is required that you have a student card for proof of your study abroad. I had an ISIC card and the ISIC company had tons of discounts online.

Discounts are presented to you in many places. Search for them and use them when you can. They're a real life saver!

Public Transportation

While living in London, I became very familiar with their pubic transportation. From metro to buses, it was my way of going everywhere. When traveling to a different country, we used each city's public transportation system. Some were trickier than others to figure out, but once we were able to navigate them, it was fairly easy, especially with the help of the Maps app on iPhones. It tells you what metro line or bus to take.

Public transportation is another small way to save money. Taxis or Ubers are expensive and frankly not worth it sometimes. Metro and buses are also an easy way to engage with the people and society you are in for a short amount of time and live like a local.

Travel Buddies

Lastly, find a good group of people to travel with! They are part of your experience and make your time traveling abroad more fun. Luckily, I was able to travel with two of my best friends and share these incredible moments with people who make them even better.