Over spring break this year, I traveled to England by myself.
This trip was probably one of the most influential experiences I've had during college. While I wasn't completely alone, since I was staying with family, I learned a lot of valuable things while navigating London and Cambridge by myself.
I can honestly say that I cannot wait to study abroad so that I can experience this again and learn more from the rest of the world.
1. It's good to be overly prepared while traveling.
Since I didn't get an SIM card for my phone, I had to take screenshots of my routes before I went anywhere. If needed, I was usually able to duck into a cafe that had free Wi-Fi, but I usually just went off of a simple screenshot like this one.
While I may have gotten a little turned around a few times, I got to see parts of London that I usually wouldn't by walking through different areas and not being completely focused on my phone navigating for me.
2. Go off the beaten path and find new things.
I have my dad to thank for one of my adventures in London. He sent me a link to a website about a place that sold gourmet chocolate and had a cafe above it that exclusively served products with chocolate in them.
Their hot chocolate, pictured above, was practically melted milk chocolate, and their cake was to die for. I wouldn't have gone to this little shop off Regent Street if I hadn't known about it. So don't be afraid to go off of the main roads and explore the small shops there.
3. Take time to enjoy the museums.
The British Museum is one of the most highly regarded museums in the world with its vast collection of artifacts from all over the world. Instead of getting caught up in the fast-paced life of London, allow yourself to slow down and enjoy this building full of history.
No matter where you are, it is great to surround yourself with history, especially because the museum will usually have a rich history of the country you're in. It's nice to have a slow, relaxing day while abroad, especially because museums are usually free.
4. Try new foods and support local businesses.
While in Cambridge, I cannot recommend enough going to the market there. You will find food from all over the world and a bunch of local vendors. Instead of going to a chain restaurant there, I went to a booth and got some traditional Brazillian food.
It was some of the best food I had while I wasn't at my relative's house. It really emphasized to me how important small businesses were and how they can be a lot better than the well-known chains that people are usually attracted to.
5. It's still fun to do the stereotypical tourist attractions.
Since I was only in England for six days, I obviously was going to go to the most popular areas of London. While I tried to see more than these areas, I still had to go to some of them. It was incredibly fun to go to the Globe Theater with my cousin, Lizzie.
It's one of the things that attracts tourists, but it was still extremely cool to learn the history of the theater and London. Don't completely stray from these things because they can reveal some incredible history that you'll want to learn.
Traveling by yourself can seem a little daunting but it is so worth it.
You learn how to be a more independent person while, at the same time, learning to ask for help from locals. You'll grow as a person and get to see some pretty cool stuff in another country at the same time.
I cannot recommend traveling by yourself more and hope that everyone gets to experience it at least once in their lives.
