Coming to the end of my University life, I have realised that one of the
things I have received the most out of whilst at University is travelling. The
experience of travelling and most importantly, travelling alone to a new place,
can be eye-opening, making you stronger both emotionally and culturally. Over
the past 4 years, I have travelled to Mexico, the United States, Belgium,
France, the Netherlands and various cities across the UK. Travelling on a
student budget is difficult – not only is it challenging to predict costs in a
country you haven’t been to, it is even more so because you have little
experience with managing money. However, there are many ways you can travel as
I have, to make the most of your University experience on a student budget. And
no, I’m not just talking about cheap Ryanair flights and hostels; I’m talking
about competitions, conferences and other such events. Through these, not only
will you achieve a positive educational outcome, but you will also build your
network and maybe visit somewhere new!
In my second year, I helped initiate an iGEM Sheffield team – iGEM is an
international synthetic biology competition that takes place in Boston every
year, attracting over 300 participating University teams – through which I was
able to visit Boston and New York City. The latter was a day trip where another
team member and myself made a last-minute decision of visiting NYC on the one
free day we had available before flying back to the UK. We left on an early
morning bus and returned after a full day in the Big Apple. It was an
exhilarating day and I think it was the limited time that made my friend and I
really forget that it was going to be a tiring day and make the most of it.
Thinking back now, I am so glad we made the trip because it could not have been
more exciting and who knows when we’ll get to go back next! Travel tip #1: If
it is feasible, DO IT. Take the chance.
Returning from the States to continue my placement, I found out about a
conference that I could apply for, to attend as a delegate of the iGEM
foundation. Having always been interested in debate and public speaking,
attending a conference on conserving biodiversity and maintaining safety in the
use of biotechnology was an interesting prospect. I was chosen to attend this
conference in Mexico, all expenses paid, and found myself crossing the Atlantic
once again in just under 2 months from the first. Cancun was beautiful, the UN
conference was educational, and I learned so much about the process of decision
making within the UN.
On my Year in Industry, I visited a friend from high school who moved to
Rome for University. Travel tip #2: Use your connections to save costs. (And
perhaps another piece of motivation to do a placement is saving up to travel!)
On this trip, I was able to spend the bank holidays over Easter sightseeing in
Rome and Naples. Whilst it was a busy time, I still managed to see the main
attractions and relax at the Neapolitan seaside.
Travel does require quite a bit of effort in the form of planning time
and money spent, however, its rewards will stay with you for a lifetime.
