Facing the reality! (Traveling in college life)

Our story starts like each other story of a travel enthusiast, who has a dream of travelling the whole world and experiencing that freedom like air whom we can’t stop to go anywhere. But don’t forget that you are a college student, so according to parent’s say, “This is time for study, you can travel after the college as much as you can”, but from this they mean travel for work and meetings while employed in a company not a nomad. We face this huge problem, and to overcome this we read travel magazines, surf travelling websites, plan a lot of itineraries which will never be used and a lot and think one day will come and I will be traveling to my place.

But this is not a problem at all, we have some other problems and for that we should solve these three major problems if you want to travel in a real way:

Money for Travelling-

We had always used our parent’s money and that’s why there is no savings made by us. So, since as a child I will never have money until I get the job (First salary is also theirs, and it should be.) So, according to this thing we can say we don’t own a single penny until we graduate or get a job. So, we can’t travel too according to this in college life.

Our Parents-

I think I have no need, to explain this. Our parents always have perspective at travelling as it’s a luxurious way to spend the income which they have saved in a year or couple of years. So, that they can get some days to get off from their daily routine and have some pleasant time. So, we also think as same about traveling. But, if you seriously want to travel than you should know that what really traveling means and we should convince our parents to the idea and principle of traveling, as to travel far places without any luxury, to hike alone, there will not be any means to contact them for a week or even more and a lot of reasons.

Now the third reason which is most frustrating:

College-

If still our parents allow us then our college will not be allowing, maybe there will be mid-terms or a presentation or some assignment deadlines. You will finish your work and you will get more. So, if you want to travel in a real way, then always remember you should sacrifice something to get something.

So, I also faced the same problems and rejection of my wonderful trips as according to my parents these were not quite like happy go journeys.

So, I started to find out the ways to travel with their permission and without using their money. I did a lot of research about destinations and now I am having a lot of tips for you guys, to help you so at least you can travel in India without any problem even in your college days, and in vacations.

Now we will try to solve each problem one by one:

Money for traveling:

Travelling in India is very cheap as you can book train tickets in less than 1500 to anywhere and flight nearby 3000 for any place. Accommodation is a very tough thing in India to make but for family holidays. If you are with your friends then you can go and stay at Youth hostels run by YHAI or some private ventures like Zostel and Backpacker panda. They give cheap accommodation facility with a good environment likely by the youth. So, you can create a 4-5-day trip in 8-10K in India for anywhere.

Now problem is how to earn that money:

1. You can save your pocket money, as it’s not a big deal to ask 1000 bucks extra for savings from home and you can save by reducing your canteen expenses. So, you can arrange around 25% of the amount by this.

2. Every college has its events and fests, be a part of its core team or try to get some work from them at last if there will be savings from fund you can get a share of it.

3. You can also take contract of merchandise of the fest like t-shirts and other goodies to be sold to students and can create a huge amount of revenue.

4. You can get some sponsors to the core team for the fest and ask them for your commission. I guarantee you these will always work, as I have earned more than 50K like this.

5. You can have at least one college trip on your parent’s money, so it’s an additional point. Or if you don’t want to go with college just ask them money and clear the idea of trip with them as an alternate.

6. If you are having some practical skills like networking, web development, hacking, guitar or other musical instrument, dancing, etc. then, you can host a workshop with a nominal entry fee and get some money from that.

7. You can also call an expert for the workshop and get your commission for arranging the audience and organizing the event.

Maybe these seven tips are enough for arranging money for your first trip, after that you can ask me for more.

Now we come to the second and major point how to convince the parents for traveling, it doesn’t matter we are having money or not. But if you have, then you are 50% sure to go.

>   Search for the conferences and workshops in other institutes as this is the best way as there will be no need for them to convince and tell them you will stay there for two-three more days as you want to explore the place if you are going so far. I usually travel to 4-5 places like this in a year.

>   You can find some volunteering opportunities somewhere, and tell your parents that you will learn a lot there, and literally you will learn a lot while you go for volunteering.

>   You can also ask straight to your parents, that you want to go over some place to travel and made them clear that you are not disturbing your academics for that.

>   If your parents don’t convince by these, just write to me and I will tell you more points which will be reasonable. As they are your parent and you can’t make fool of them and it’s not good too.

Now its turn of college academic calendar which ruins most of the trips,

>   Always try to travel in vacations, instead of going home first go to the place you are dreaming of and then to home and tell them what you experienced there.

>   You can go in the weekends where any extra holiday is coming, so you can have a short travel of 3-4 days with one or two leave. It doesn’t matter how much time you spend on the place; the experience will start as you leave your room and reach to it back. As journey is also an important part of traveling.

>   You can also go while you have completed your classes to the attendance criteria, as you know you should lose something to win something. So, lose your last classes for an unending memorable experience and get your epiphany there instead of lectures.

These can help you over as I always travelled like this.

Still I have one year of college, I think I will surely get some more ideas to travel in college life. I will surely share them with you too. So, until my next post if you are trying to solve this mystery of Travel on Parent’s Money. You can use these honest ideas.