Is travelling a gap year alone for me?

Being young and proposing the idea of exploring the big wide world can be a nerve-racking suggestion! I'm here to tell you that it doesn't have to be as daunting as some people make it out to be and that there is all the evidence in the world to suggest this.

No matter who you are and what experience you have, there will always be elements of solo travel that will push you out of your comfort zone. This is a hugely positive element of travel for everyone given the most personal growth happens when you push this 'invisible' comfort zone boundary. Despite this, it may mean you feel uncomfortable at stages during your adventures therefore making it the perfect opportunity for the learning to begin!

Learn about yourself!

Solo travel gives you the opportunity to learn heaps about yourself. You will learn to become more self dependent. You will also develop your ability to make informed decisions more quickly. Additionally, your organisational skills will improve with planning trips. The next biggest change you will recognise in yourself is your ability in navigating social interactions. This does not mean you will become a huge social butterfly! This means you will learn to draw boundaries without second guessing where necessary, you will ask questions or make phone calls where they are and you will interact with people in a manner that is appropriate. To explain this further I will you use a personal example. Whilst walking down the street in my local village I will often say good morning and smile at passer buyers. However, this is not an appropriate way to carry myself in all countries in all circumstances. This is because in certain locations, this same behaviour will give me unwanted attention especially as a lone female who likely does not know the area well. You will learn what you are comfortable with and how to navigate this depending on the area and circumstance.

Importance of your 'gut feelings'

My first and most important tip for feeling content with solo travel to make your trip successful is to learn to trust your intuition and gut feeling. If something doesn't feel right it probably isn't! For different people this 'gut feeling' will be different. It may even be different in the same individual for different situations. For some people in some scenarios, this could present as being a physical feeling like a pit at the bottom of your stomach, for others or other situations it may feel like you are trapped in 'fight or flight mode' and are unexplainably unsettled. People will often ask how will they know if I'm just a little nervous or if i'm having this 'gut feeling'? In my opinion a gut feeling is often distinguishably different almost like when you know you know... however cheesy and unbelievable that sounds! Being a little nervous is an emotion that can be settled while a gut feeling is often unexplained and cannot be settled or will keep returning. If you listen to your body and mind you will learn to trust yourself. Pushing yourself is important but knowing when to stop is even more.

If your gut feeling is at all doubtful or on edge you should listen and trust this. You may be disappointed as you had expectations but at the end of the day your gut feeling is a subconscious psychological mechanism to help keep you safe. A good example is lets say you have planned a camping trip at a super scenic location that you have been looking forward to for weeks. As the day moves on you slowly develop or get a sudden onset of unexplained feelings. You feel on edge and are no longer looking forward to the idea of being there overnight even though the area seems peaceful and stunning. You don't want to leave as you made all the effort to get here and you feel as though you would be letting yourself down if you left. In this scenario you should take a step back and weigh up the situation. You will begin to recognise that there is no fun camping somewhere no matter how beautiful and how excited you had been just hours before if you now feel scared and unsafe. Yes you will likely feel disappointed at the decision to leave but that's ok. You can recognise the reasons you made this decision and maybe return on another occasion. You never know what could have happened if anything at all but you still gained that trust in your decisions.

Another circumstance I hear travellers talking about is the feeling of letting down your 'travel buddies'. You and whoever you are with should listen to each other and have a mutual understanding that you wont be letting each other down if a trip has to be changed. If they can't listen and and support you or visa versa you should not continue your travels with them. You must become comfortable with the idea that not everything will go to plan. This can be challenging if you consider yourself to be someone who likes to be in control and always having a plan. However, even if this is your personality that could mean solo travel is even better for you as it will force you even further out of comfort zone to just 'let go'.

Flexible plans

Different people will feel comfortable having different levels of planning in place. However to make your solo trip the most successful you should make these plans flexible. This allows you to take up random opportunities that you cannot predict to come up. For me this included random work for a TV show! Flexibility also allows you to be more accepting of plans changing. For example, in circumstances where you have a bad gut feeling you will be more prepared to accept that right there and then it was no longer the "right" thing to be doing. This will make stepping away from the initial plan easier and less disappointing.

Does solo travel have to be lonely?

No! If you actively want to meet new people, then solo travel is an awesome opportunity to meet people with mindsets similar to you. Whether this by signing up to local group adventures, meeting someone coincidentally at the bus stop or simply turning up at a hostel. There will always be other people visiting and exploring locations or alternatively locals wanting to share their culture with you. This means there is always the opportunity to be social. This day in age it is also increasingly easier to stay in touch with those back home. WIFI is more reliable and buying local sims can make contact even easier. Just remember to trust your gut feeling and don't force interactions that do not feel right.

Of course, it is likely at some point you will feel a little alone and deflated. This will be similar as if you had just moved away from home or just started a new job where you don't know anyone. This feeling will past and if it helps, try reaching out to people back home or going to a social setting like a bar or bowling alley.

In conclusion, a gap year can work for everyone. Your experience is completely down to how you want to make it! It is a blank canvas of a term ready for you to paint!