Travel anxiety is commonly experienced by travelers. Getting from point A to point B, although easy in theory, can sometimes feel like you have to hit points C through Z on your way. It may not make sense, but you can’t control the consuming heaviness that hits you.

Traveling alone is the magnifier of these feelings. At least when you have a travel companion you can bounce ideas off one another and talk your way through your journey; when you are alone, your next best bet is talking on the phone with that person, which can often be distracting, thus increasing the anxiety anyway. Sometimes the process of traveling by yourself can be far too overwhelming.

I always say that the worst parts of traveling alone are getting on and getting off of the bus, train, or plane. Your heart hammers so loudly in your chest that it pulses through your ears, and the voice in the back of your head screams louder and louder with each passing second that you have already missed your shot at boarding (even though you are a solid 20 minutes earlier than you needed to be).

Then will you absolutely have time to get off at your stop? Have you double checked that every door will open when it’s time or are you going to be at least three cars back from the nearest open door? So many questions and so much time to ponder them.

And let’s not forget that your bag can’t occupy the seat next to you forever, unless you want to pay for it. Suddenly you’re sitting next to the stranger from hell and you can’t stop wondering if they’re going to say or do anything to mentally scar you forever. I mean, chances are, they are totally normal and are praying to themselves that you aren’t crazy either, but that doesn’t stop your mind from wandering.

When you’ve finally arrived at your destination, the unease doesn’t dissipate until you’ve found someone or somewhere familiar. The moment that you’ve been waiting for has come, and the comfort of your familiar face allows you to release all of the mental mind-blabber that you’ve pent up for so many hours.

As someone who spends more travel time on her own than with a buddy, solo-travel anxiety is familiar to me. Although I nearly always experience heightened heart rates and nervous thoughts, I have developed a few hacks to get myself through the troubles.

1. Do your research.

If you are traveling into a new terminal for the first time, it’s never a bad idea to look into the area and the layout a bit. I promise you, Google Images will be your best friend if you've never seen the layout of a station before and want to familiarize yourself with it beforehand.

2. Travel with a buddy first.

If possible, try traveling to a new place with a friend first. That way, when you have to go through the same motions on your own, you already have somewhat of a familiarity with the area and the process.

3. Read the pamphlets and watch the safety videos.

This one may seem a bit silly, but watching these often outdated videos (think sixth grade science movie quality) can ease your anxiety just by reminding you that there are protocols for everything. They can serve as a nice impromptu security blanket.

4. Go with the flow of the crowd.

When you’ve finally arrived at your stop, it’s totally natural to not have a clue where you’re going, so this is when your fellow passengers come in handy. Walking with the crowd will either get you to where you need to go or will get you to a place that is easier to ask for directions, so allow these strangers to become your secret travel companions.

5. Sit close to the driver or conductor.

If at all possible, sit up towards the front of the vehicle. Being near the conductor is a great way to soothe haywire nerves. If you want someone to keep an eye out, these people are trained to ensure everyone’s safety.

Once the apprehension has dissipated, it often helps me even further to take a deep breath and simply enjoy the ride. Traveling has so much to offer, both the destination and the ride included. When you are able to take in the beautiful scenery that passes you by, the gratitude that fills your senses is overwhelming in the most positive way.

And after the anxiety passes and you've finally reached your journey's end, the fun begins for you to explore life's new adventures. As consuming as travel anxiety may be, the end result makes it all worth it in the end.