Want to learn how you can travel the world?! I’ve been to every continent (except Antarctica!) all before starting my first full-time job as an engineer, and you can do it too! Whether you’re a student or someone with a little extra free time on your hands, you’ll want to pay attention to these travel tips.
You may not realize it, but students have it made! You get summer vacation, winter break, spring break, and holidays! That’s over 126 days off from school every year - no questions asked! At most companies, full-time employees receive 10-15 paid vacation days, and sometimes you have to accrue it. That’s an insane 90% reduction in travel opportunities. I realized this early on and made it my personal mission to travel as much as I possibly could while in college. On top of studying for my Civil Engineering degrees, I squeezed in 4 study abroad programs throughout undergrad and grad school.
As a student it can be hard to fit in a semester or full-year abroad without affecting your class sequence. Many of the courses for STEM majors have prerequisites and some may only be offered during one semester in a school year. It’s hard for you to think about leaving because you don’t want to fall behind. If your schedule is all set or you have 5-10 months free then go for it! You’ll have more time to emerge in the culture and truly experience your host country. For those who can’t, your best option is during the summer. It’s only 12 weeks long, but it’s still much more than the PTO (paid time off) you’ll get while working.
Study Abroad Programs
There are many different types of study abroad programs that students can participate in. Short programs typically range from 2-5 weeks and longer programs are between 8-12 weeks. The most common is traveling to a foreign university to take classes. Alternatively, you could volunteer with a non-profit, do an internship with a company, or find an extended conference where you can learn and network. Some study tours allow you to visit different companies and even work on projects for a short period of time.
If your program doesn’t have you locked into a strict itinerary you’ll have control over your free time. When you’re not in classes or not working - go on mini excursions! Explore all the surrounding towns and countries to really make the most out of your trip. During the summer of my junior year, I studied in England for 8 weeks, and every weekend I traveled to nearby areas. I visited France, Italy, and Spain, which are all just a short flight or train ride from London. On the other hand, my study tour in South Africa was completely structured and filled with activities for us each day. The coordinators had already figured out which places we’d visit and how long we’d stay to fit it all into our short 2-week timeframe.
On Your Own
Not interested in “studying” abroad? Plan a trip of your own! Take a spring break trip with your friends, go on a summer backpacking stint, or even ditch the family for a couple days around Thanksgiving. Surprisingly the holiday season is one of the best times to travel to Southeast Asia. You can catch airfare for as low as $400 round trip which is about the same amount you’d pay to visit family in the states, crazy right? Another sweet spot is the time right after you graduate and just before you start your new career. There’s something special about knowing you have a job waiting on you with a guaranteed paycheck that justifies spending a little extra money.
After I completed graduate school, I went on a 5-week backpacking trip. With a small group of friends, I traveled to Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, and United Arab Emirates. While I was still in school, I planned a spring break trip to Cabo, Mexico one year and to Playa del Carmen, Mexico another. Since winter break is a little longer I went to see New York and New Jersey around New Year’s, and I even had my first Hawaiian vacation.
It doesn’t matter how you do it, as long as you get out there and explore the world! There are so many places for you to see and opportunities for you to seize. It will be a nice break from your classes and help you build up your resume. Yes, your resume! Companies love to see potential candidates that can take on the challenge of living abroad with ease.
I hope my tips were helpful and that you realize traveling as a student is a lot more realistic than you think. You can definitely count on hearing more from me on my travels as new full-time engineer and my journey as I try to figure it out. (Right now, I’m actually on a 2-week trip visiting Sweden, Turkey, and Egypt!) I’d like to hear about your experiences and perspectives! Anything you want me to talk about or answer? Comment below!
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Written by Tawa Sulaiman
Edited by Brittany A.J. Miriki
Tawa Sulaiman
Tawa is a Civil Engineer working in Los Angeles as a Project Engineer with Turner Construction. She received her MS in Civil Engineering - Sustainable Design and Construction from Stanford University and her BS, Civil Engineering with a concentration in construction management and structural engineering. She’s an avid traveler with over 20 countries under belt and there’s no stopping her anytime soon!
