Tyler Carson

A lot of what has been discussed upon has been weighing the benefits of studying abroad, but what about travelling alone? Traveling alone can seem scary or challenging, but yields benefits which can be more rewarding than travelling with friends or family. Travelling alone significantly affected me, which is why I would strongly advocate for students to consider travelling alone. Here is a list of seven reasons why I consider travelling alone to be important and beneficial: 

 1. Find out more about yourself

Travelling alone gives you the opportunity to find out more about yourself. This grants you the freedom to truly be yourself, to find out what you want or don't want. It can be a rewarding opportunity to build upon yourself. Travelling alone liberates you from some of the pressures and stresses at home granting to the ability to discover your goals and desires and build upon who you are. On a personal level, studying abroad gave me the chance to learn how much of a social person I was, or just how much we rely on technology. It gave me the chance to refine my tastes and interests and gave me more "me time" to act on my personal interests.

2. Meet new people and make new friends

The feeling or thought of being alone actually prompts you to go out and meet new people. Studying abroad is one of the best ways to meet new people. You can meet people in classes, at university events, on campus, in hostels, or in the neighbouring bars. Chances are you will meet other students in the same position as you, alone and trying to make new friends. Trying to meet new people encourages you to foster interpersonal skills. This can also give you the chance to practice any languages you have been studying. While I studied in Barcelona, I made an amazing group of friends through attending international events and through my classes. As I travelled to cities such as Madrid and Granada, I made friends in the hostels I stayed. Furthermore, travelling alone lets you meet people from different culture and lets you learn from others and their perspectives. 

3. Experience new things

Travelling to a new country grants you the chance to experience things that your country doesn't offer. This can range from trying new foods, visiting famous sites, or new activties such as scuba diving. Most of my friends in Canada wouldn't really enjoy visiting museums, or hiking to a monastery. Traveling alone allowed me to further exit my normal routine and try new things by myself. 

4. Flexibility and freedom

Travelling alone also offers a higher level of freedom than travelling in a group. Travelling with a friend can be complicated, it can be difficult to plan your adventure if you both have seperate agendas or goals. It can be stressful on your friendship when emotions are at their height. This can lead you away from truly taking advantage of your time abroad. Travelling alone lets you travel and visit at your own pace. Being alone in a new country gives you the opportunity to do what you want and avoid feeling judged by friends and family. When I travelled alone I felt significantly liberated. I could eat at what ever restaurant I wanted, go out if I wanted (or didn't want to), and choose what I wanted to do when I was in a new city. Travelling alone offers the luxury of choice. 

5. Overcoming personal barriers

Travelling alone is a a big step to overcome as it involves leaving one's personal comfort zone. This experience allows one to overcome personal barriers they may face at home. Travelling abroad can help one overcome social anxiety, depedency issues, and feelings of being trapped in the same-old routine. People can change in the best of ways when they travel, this is enhanced when it is done alone. 

​6. More memorable more meaningful experiences

Travelling alone also creates a more meaningful travelling experience. When you travel with a friend or in a group, the focus can be less on country or culture and more on fun or activties (which it can be if you want). Travelling alone  lets you build a better connection with the places you travel to and the people you meet. You get the chance to observe and listen more and thus better connect to the people and culture with whom you interact. You also have the chance to reflect on how you have changed while being alone. Travelling alone better connects you to the places you travel to and you get to share these stories when you return home. 

7. Feelings of personal change

Aside from the experience itself, travelling alone for an extended period of time can also affect you in a positive way. My study abroad experience impacted me profoundly and was amazing in terms of my personal development. I feel better able to try new things outside of my comfort zone and more confident to address new challenges. I've learned to tolerate and better adapt to changing circumstances. I feel more outgoing and have learned to be a better listener and more understanding with interacting with new people (especially those of different backgrounds). Finally, this experience has fostered a permanent desire in me to travel more. My friends have noted how I have become a more positive person since returning home. It has helped me connect to the world around me and seeing how the global world impacts on a personal level. Travelling alone lets you overcome adversity and can make you a more talented and well-rounded human being.

This is not to put down travelling with a group or with friends. What you choose to do is ultimately up to you. This post is to make it clear how travelling alone is not as scary as it seems and can be incredibly rewarding. When travelling alone, I found that I listened more, appreciated more, understood more, and build a better connection with the people and places I travelled to.