This past summer, I had the opportunity to go on vacation by myself and it was an experience I will cherish forever. I learned a lot about myself that week and had a lot of time to think. I called the shots about what to do with my time and could do things at my own pace. When I told my friends I went to Hawaii by myself, they were shocked. "You're only 21 and you're a girl and you went on vacation...alone?!" I think that every woman in their 20's should go on a solo trip at least once. It's an experience you will never forget.
Since I'm young and am ballin' on a budget, I took three different flights to get to Hawaii. So one skill I have locked down after this trip: how to navigate an airport. I was so nervous I was going to miss one of my flights or one of them would be delayed. By some miracle, all my flights were on time and I made it to Hawaii with no major problems. When I got there, I got a ride to my hotel and checked in. I felt so old and grown-up. I was a little sad because I wish I had my family there to share it with me, but I was still excited to experience my first solo trip.
When people asked me what I was doing in Hawaii, I told them I was with my dad on business. It's great to be independent and adventurous, but the world is still a scary place out there and I had to cover my tracks. I then spent my days sipping Mai Tai's and lounging on the beach. One thing that sucked was that I couldn't rent a car so I had to either use public transportation or stay on the beach near my hotel. But I was in Hawaii so I couldn't complain.
So here's some advice I have for the adventurers out there. Don't be afraid to eat alone. This was the biggest hurdle I had to overcome but no one cares and no one knows you. Also, don't be afraid to just be alone in general. I might have gotten some strange looks laying on the beach by myself but I didn't care. That was the point of my trip, to be alone with my thoughts and do things on my time. Another tip is do not be afraid to talk to strangers. I tried not to use my phone that much while I was there because I really wanted to live in the moment and disconnect from the real world. I went out of my comfort zone and started conversations with people I didn't know. I heard such cool stories from them about their lives.
I have never been one to be scared of being alone. I'd consider myself pretty independent. But I have never done something like this. If you ever get the chance to vacation by yourself, do it. It is worth the experience.