How to Travel in Grad School

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Traveling in grad school seems like mythical creature. You hear that people have done it, but you haven't really experienced it yourself. You know that one rich friend that is always talking about their latest trip. Or that one friend that doesn't seem to have any of their course work together but are always gone traveling. Well, it doesn't have to be like that. You don't have to be rich to travel, your school work doesn't have to suffer. For the last two years I have been successfully studying for my master's, writing my thesis, and traveling. Sometimes it can be a bit exhausting, but it is always 100% worth it. So here are some tips on how to travel in grad school.

We all want a day to procrastinate, but if you want to travel in grad school, there isn't much time for procrastination. You're either catching up on missed work, working ahead for when you're gone traveling, or working a job to afford to travel. So as much as you want to put off that essay until next week, you can't really do that. Unless you only travel during the school holidays, then maybe you can. But if you're as addicted to travel as I am, you're going to have to not procrastinate so you can successfully travel and get good grades. 

A student budget is the worst, but it seems like a grad student budget is even worse. You have less time to work since you're studying more, you have more bills to pay, and everything just seems much more expensive. So save where you can. I rarely ever eat out and will only do it for special occasions with friends. Instead I opt for the student cafeteria. I also make sure that I live in affordable housing, I watch how much water and electricity I consume, and always choose to walk to save money. I do everything that I can within reason to save money. That is also why I got a part time job. I knew that I at least wanted to live a little while studying and didn't want to be too stingy on the budget. So save where you can and as much as you can so that you can actually travel.

Try to plan trips near you. If you're living in America, I know this can be hard. So maybe try and travel to Canada or Mexico if you are near the border, always look for deals to Europe, or discover new cities in the US. However, if you're lucky enough to be able to study abroad, take advantage of that. Sometimes cross-continent trips are too expensive, so instead try to visit neighboring countries or regions. Flights, trains and busses are usually always available. For me, in Finland, I have tried to visit all the Scandinavian countries and all the Baltic countries since they are so close by. I also took advantage of going to Russia since I knew I might never be back. So take advantage of geography to save some money and time. 

While it's wonderful to be spontaneous and jump on a plane or train for the weekend, it is not always that easy in grad school. There are always deadlines to complete and lecture to attend. Sometimes you can take a local day trip last minute, but trips where you have to book a flight or take a train to another country is best not left to the last minute. You're never going to complete your work in a hostel at night no matter how much you think you will. So instead, look at your calendar, make all your examine and due dates, and plan your travel for the semester accordingly. 

If you're making friends in your program, suggest a trip. Traveling in groups is always cheaper. You can rent an Airbnb, split the cost of an Uber, cook together, and do anything else that would save money during a trip. This last year, I have stopped traveling alone (as much as I love it) and began traveling with people. Not only have I saved money, I have had wonderful experiences that I have been able to share with others.