There’s no better time than as a young adult to go traveling. You will have the opportunity to really encounter some life-changing experiences, and it might be the only time in your life when you don’t have kids or pets to keep you at home. Indeed, while you’re in college, you are going to need some time to recharge between semesters, and some time to get out in the world and explore might be just what you need to recover from a long and stressful semester of intensive studies. You just want to make sure that you prepare and know how to take care of yourself no matter where you go. Here are five essential college student travel safety tips.
- Make All Reservations Ahead of Time
Aside from dinner reservations, you want to make sure that you book all of your tickets and make every reservation possible before you head out on your trip. It’s especially important that you have your lodging arrangements made well ahead of time so that you aren’t stuck looking for a place to stay at the last minute. If you intend to take any trains or buses at any point, make sure to book those as well so that you don’t find yourself Craigslisting ride shares or hitchhiking.
- Know Where You’re Going
Once you do have all of your tickets and reservations booked, you want to make sure you know exactly where you’re going at all times. It can be easy to let other people lead you around, but it’s still important that you are constantly looking at the map and know where you’re going and how you’re getting there. If you plan to take public transit, you should take some time to learn how the system works, and if you plan to take cabs, then you should make sure you’re watching the map and know that you aren’t paying extra for an indirect route.
- Keep Valuables to a Minimum
Depending on where you’re traveling, carrying valuables on you, or wearing expensive clothing could be very dangerous. You don’t want to be wearing jewelry or designer clothing in any areas that are poverty-stricken in any way. Not only will it be disrespectful, but it will make you stick out like a sore thumb and increase your chances of being mugged.
- Notify Your Bank That You Will Be Traveling
Even if you are only traveling to a different city within your own state, it could set off some red flags for your bank if you don’t notify them ahead of time. Banks are very wary of fraudulent spending being charged on people’s credit or debit cards, and if they see spending in a place that you don’t normally visit, then they will likely freeze your card. If you’re earning NEC’s forensic accounting degree, then you should know this by now.
- Don’t Go with Strangers to Private Places
As trustworthy as a person may seem, it is always best to be safe rather than sorry. You really don’t know the people that you meet while you’re on vacation, which is why you should always make sure that you stay in public view when you are socializing with new friends. In most cases you will have nothing to worry about, but you really never know.