I travel for work. I have not been doing it long, but it has definitely taught me a lot.

On my trips I have experienced quite a few mishaps, such as driving with an empty tank of gas on the freeway (sorry mom), lost in the woods, forgotten absolute necessities, caught on the "sketchy side of town", paying way too much for food, etc. How have I overcome and better prepared myself for future travels you may ask, well I'm gonna tell you, it's been many trial & error. These are not in chronological order, but in fact listed in the way I found them to be crucial.

Whether traveling for pleasure or business, these are a must know!

1. Locate The Closet Starbucks

Starbucks is going to be your safe haven wherever you go. It is a multipurpose spot. You can sit and study. You can scope out the locals & get the general vibe of the area. Google possible hangs, the weather, catch up on hw that was due two days ago, use the restroom, treat yourself to a frappe, the possibilities are endless. The best part is no one will judge you no matter the reason you're there!

2. Fly Southwest!

Don't trust Google to give you the answer for this one. Dig and find the cheapest flight! You should totally fly Southwest though! Customer Service is top notch, you don't have to pay for checked bags, you don't have to board by group, the faster you check in for the flight, the better chances of scoring a window or aisle seat! Oh and they normally try to feed you & give drinks for FREEEEE. I have had to fly American Airlines previously, being assigned a middle seat, placed between two burly men (of course) who decided they needed both arm rests... the four hour flight was not fun.

3. Google Maps, Nuff Said

Google Map is gonna be your #bestie. It will tell you what street, subway, bus, even sidewalk to take. Take the time to explore the area and mark any areas of interest as a favorite. This WILL come in handy, so you are not wandering aimlessly or wasting any time of your precious travel.

4. Choosing A Rental Car

Okay, soooo when they ask you what sort of car you would like, try to pick at least a mid-sized vehicle! This will give the illusion of luxury, the right affordability and usually reasonable miles to the gallon for gas you will want. Also once you hop in, don't just jet off. Take time to find where everything is. Including, but not limited to A/C controls, trunk lever, cruise control, wind shield wipers and lights! You don't want to be caught driving on the freeway at night with no lights on...going 75 mph...frantically caressing the dashboard for the light switch...yep that happened.

5. Packing!

Stuff as much as you can in the littlest suitcase you can. This will allow you simply travel lighter. Their is nothing worse than lugging around 4 bags around the airport, one to check and the others to go through security with. If you have to, you have to, but try your best to roll your clothes tightly and angle items in your suitcase the best possible. Practice your Tetris skills.

6. TSA...

The struggle is REAL y'all. Going through the airport at 6AM people are grumpy, just anticipate a few bad attitudes, not everyone can be as cheerful as you. I have had my fair share of sassy and not so nice TSA peeps. Just smile & wave. You are about to board a plane to your beautiful destination, while they have to stay in the airport repeating themselves over and over and over again. Be kind and... remove everything from your pockets.

7. Plan!

I make lists, it's what I do. I am a visual learner, so I need to get everything in my head down on paper. So I write as many lists as necessary. I normally have a final list of places I'm headed, things to pack, things I already have packed, what I need to buy, etc. Make lists or whatever you do to keep yourself organize so you forget NOTHING. It is the worst feeling when you find yourself at Walmart blowing huneds-huneds on things you literally have sitting in a drawer at home or finding out you missed out on visiting a rad place. Take your time planning.

8. The Sketchy Part of Town

First off, try your best to be aware of where you are walking or driving. Try your best not to be out at night, but if you must try to be back at your hotel by 9pm. For some reason 10pm is the magical hour for the "sketch" things to happen and people to come out. Now if for some reason you do find yourself out late, on a dark street, don't panic. Pack some mace & mean mug like you have never mean mugged before! Walk confidently, act like you know where you are going, don't look distracted, and keep you head up. If anyone tries to talk to you, just keep moving, pretend to be speaking on the phone that usually causes them to keep away.

9. Don't Be Sad

When I travel it is normally for a week at a time. It can make me restless, a little down, or tiresome of the hotel life. Don't be sad though. It can be hard being somewhere that you don't know a single soul. Where you don't recognize a single face, and sometimes people act cold towards you. It's okay, you won't be there forever, only a little bit. Try to call a friend, watch some YouTube, make yourself laugh, get out into nature, or take time to explore the city. It can be rough, but don't let it ruin your travel experience. Who knows when you will get another chance to be there again!

10. Be Okay With Being Alone

Traveling by myself means that I have had a lot of quiet time. Lots of time to reflect, sit in silence, watch cable (Praise God), karaoke in the car, people watch, read books, write, actually do homework, etc. I have gotten to know myself more, grow as an individual, and be okay with being alone. At first it was uncomfortable, I would get antsy and depressed. There was no one to talk with, or bounce ideas off of. Traveling solo has pushed me to be a bit braver. I took adventures to places I had never heard of, started conversations with strangers, found value in someone else's city, learned about some local history, tried food I didn't really know existed, and above all, learned to better value my existence and come to witness my true capabilities.

If you ever have the opportunity, travel alone and travel far.