Before the takeoff, planning tips and advice. Don’t leave with stress in your suitcase!

Last week I read about Juliana Chavez’s experience planning an international trip. She is planning to go to Japan for the week off of school we have coming up for spring break.

It can be fun to look at other people’s posts on social media of their fun trips or create pinterest of your dream to travel to and imagine yourself there. It can also be easy to book the flight, but people don’t always realize how much planning comes after. From booking the flight at the right time to ensure the best deal to finding places to stay, where to stay, general etiquette, and who to notify before heading on a major trip are all things she addresses in her article.

Chaev talks about how social media can be a huge asset locking down tips and tricks. In addition to tips and tricks social media can also be used for discovering activities that aren’t advertised as much on the well known and acclaimed trip sites. Personally I have come across many new interesting excursions near me through social media. Last year I was able to experience an exhibit that was only available for a limited time. Someone else’s video of their experience came across one of my online media service feeds. I likely would not have otherwise known about this event as it was not in a place I regularly frequent.

As someone who hopes to travel abroad upon graduation this was helpful to see how far in advance I should start planning. I will be going back to this article when planning any future trips even if they are not international because there are many helpful tips and ideas.

I’ve linked Chaev’s Medium post if you are interested in reading:

[embed]The Countdown to Japan: Excitement, Stress, and a Lot of Planning Planning a dream trip sounds exciting, but what many people do not realize is how much time, research, and organization…medium.com