Traveling is the best form of study, however, if you are just traveling without a proper plan, then you may end up not learning even a single thing. Many students always embark on school trips for the purpose of studies but end up being swayed away from their original aim. Travel and study may not be that easy, but if you are prepared to travel and focus your mind on your studies, then you have nothing to worry about. The same also applies to people just traveling for leisure. Did you know that you can learn something new when traveling, even for vacation? Don’t think of education as a boring classroom activity. There are several fun ways to learn!
The following 7 ways will help you educate yourself while traveling:
1. Get Organized
Being organized is very important for students or any other person who is planning to travel. You need to ensure that you have all the requirements that you will need for your travel ready. Know the climate of that place, the favorable seasons to visit and its local time zone. Failure to pack your suitcase properly may cause you great disappointments – it could be the weather, some tools, your travel documents, etc. It’s also very important to do a prior research about the place you are going to visit and know the available sites that you may find useful for your study purposes. Prior knowledge will give you an idea of what to expect. You could also find out the location of the nearest library, you never know, this could just come in handy at some point in your travel. One can never be too prepared.
2. Interact with Locals
It is a necessity to interact with the locals when you are new to a place, especially when you’re a solo traveler. This way, you get to learn about their culture, customs, and personality very fast. The locals are most likely to help you with your research and studies. You can interview them to get some first-hand information concerning certain historical accounts. However, you need to inform them prior if you are conducting an interview that may be published to avoid any future misunderstandings.
If the locals are hospitable and welcoming, they may even agree to take you around the town at a small price or even for free. This will help you save the money that you may have spent on getting a tour guide. They will also help you in finding out detailed information by providing you with the correct resources or directing you where to get the most appropriate information.
3. View Any Trip as a Research Trip
Approaching your destination with an academic mindset will help you focus on your goal and keep your brain active throughout the journey. Make sure you carry your study materials with you whenever you’re going on a trip. A book and a pen are a must-have requirement for any trip. You may also need to carry a laptop or tablet, a camera, a phone, and a voice recorder.
The mind may not be able to remember everything, so you need to take down some short notes for reference purposes. You can take photographs, record videos and even recordings of people stories. You can later stick the photos alongside the notes created for clarification and attach the videos with some little explanations of what they are all about. This will not only be enjoyable but also educationally rewarding.
4. Visit Cultural Buildings
The only way that you can learn about the place you are visiting is by visiting the cultural buildings, art galleries, religious centers, and museums. In these places, you will be able to find information about the local history of that place, customs of the people and the development of the city or country. This could even help you appreciate your own culture even more.
As we’ve mentioned previously, it is important that you carry a notebook with you so as to enable you to jot down some background information. This will propel you to go and do further research in case there are areas where you need clarification or maybe you just got interested and would like to learn more about it.
5. Learn the Language
The best way to enhance your language skills in case you are taking a foreign language class is by traveling. The beauty of learning foreign languages can only be felt by speaking the language to its native speakers. As a student, you need to exercise your language skills by expressing yourself in that language. You can even try to make up stories and even jokes with the locals. They may find your pronunciation a bit funny, but eventually, they will correct you and help you learn. You’ll be able to learn about the accents, different dialects, and colloquialisms.
6. Conduct Online Research
Not all information that you get from interacting with the locals can be trusted. Some are so shallow while others are exaggerated. As a student, you need to go an extra mile and do your own research online. By doing research, it shows that you are not only interested in enjoying the visit but you’re also willing to do some serious studies. This will prevent you from collecting ambiguous information which may be misleading.
Research can also be done about your destination prior to the visit. Learn about the behavior of the locals, their customs and traditions and even the language they speak. Research is very important since it helps you get psychologically prepared for what to expect when you visit a place. You’ll avoid getting into weird and embarrassing situations if you know about the customs and practices of your destination in advance. Don’t wait to learn from experience!
7. Create a Daily Activities Timetable
A timetable will help you keep track of your daily activities, whether fun or study. Plan your travels around your study commitments, reading and assignments are always well suited for long travels. This will help you stay ahead with your normal class work and avoid any backlogs. You can also document your travel encounter and mark on those ones that will need some further research and when to do it. With a timetable, your travel becomes organized and chances of surprise events which may cause chaos are reduced!
It’s amazing to discover the attractive and most beautiful sites in the world. It will be even more beneficial for you if you get to learn something. Explore the world without limiting yourself because that is the most interesting form of learning!
About the author: Sophia Clark is a creative writer who is working on several projects, one of them being edubirdies.org. In her free time, she enjoys reading and writing fiction. Her big dream is to publish a book one day. Connect with her on G+.