What I learned during my first travel season
Just as my first three months in the” real world” come to a close, I feel like it is a good time for me to reflect and write my first blog post. Within a month of starting work, I was on the road, visiting as many high schools as possible in the span of two months. I am responsible for reading all applications from the wonderful states of Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Delaware, as well as parts of New Jersey (Hunterdon, Monmouth, Morris, North Passaic, Sussex and Warren Counties), Connecticut (Hartford County) and Massachusetts. With my travels came many new experiences, such as driving in New York City (absolutely terrifying...), seeing the Midwest for the first time (St. Louis!) and visiting the school where Dead Poet’s Society was filmed. After being on the road for about a month total, I have learned a few key things and gained some useful skills that I think are worth sharing.
- Good music can make a huge difference in your mood, no matter how long the drive is. Whether it is 15 minutes in between high school visits or 4 hours back Boston from CT (thanks traffic…) listening to music made the drives SO much better. Before I left on travel, I asked my dad to burn me come CD’s (old fashioned, I know) for the car. Instead, he sent me back a flash drive with more music than I knew what to do with. My favorites included some U2 remixes, live Bruce Springsteen tracks, and compilation of Broadway hits (there is nothing like blasting and singing along to “Defying Gravity” by yourself in a car).
- Hotels that have free microwave popcorn (in addition to coffee and tea)? Clutch.
- In college, my dance practices ended at midnight twice a week, so going to bed early was sometimes not an option. Travel season put me on a completely different schedule. My mornings started at 8am (like high school days) and ended around 2 or 3. Even though I had the rest of the night to explore new cities, which I greatly enjoyed, I always found myself sound asleep by nine o’ clock. One night, my mom even called and woke me up- it was only 10. I quickly learned that it is okay, and encouraged, to go to bed early if your schedule permits it.
- Thanks to my GPS and love of iced coffee (no matter how cold it is), I can now spot a Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks from a mile away
- As my roommates pointed out, my first trip was longer than the amount of time I had lived in my new apartment. Needless to say, upon my return, my new bed had never felt so comfortable. Hotel beds can be nice, but there is nothing like sleeping in your own bed.
The most important thing I learned during travel season? It’s nice to be alone. At Tufts, I chose to constantly be surrounded by people, because I was scared to be by myself. I kept my dorm room door open, I studied in the conversation area of the library and I always made plans with people, whether it was for a quick cup of coffee or a trip into Boston. My busy schedule meant that I bounced from meetings, to group study sessions and back to more meetings. I can honestly say that I never once ate in the dining hall alone. Travel season taught me that alone time is not just nice, but it is also important for one’s well-being. I learned that going to a restaurant by yourself is oddly fun, and that the independence that comes from being alone is empowering. I can’t decide if my first travel season went by incredibly quickly or painstakingly slowly, but I know that I had a lot of fun.
