What I Learned While Travelling With Friends

Last summer, when I decided to plan a trip to Europe with my friends, I envisioned the endless amounts of carbs we would eat and the breathtaking sights we would see. I thought about how we combat language barriers and about the cultures we would learn from. Surprisingly enough, I never considered that travelling with friends was going to be a lesson in itself. What I learned while travelling with friends was great first hand experience but it still makes me wish I had someone to give me the following pieces of advice:

Friends make the most dire and stressful of situations better:

When you are lost on the underground and freaking out about how to get home, count on your friend to make a joke that will relieve the worry. I learned that if it hadn’t been for them I probably would have had plenty of mini panic attacks on the tube headed god knows where.

You learn to be honest about who you are:

When you live with someone for weeks on end, you can’t hide your silly eating habits, snoring, guilty pleasures and of course your bathroom habits. Let’s be honest here, you’re friends will love you even at your worst, so there’s no need to avoid judgment by walking on eggshells.

Sometimes you may need space from one another:

And that’s okay. When you live with friends in close quarters and see them endless hours of a day, you’re likely to feel like slapping each other at some point. Just remember to take a breath because it’s normal for people to get sick of each other once in a while.

You might even get into arguments:

via GIPHY

but it can all be solved with a good hug:

You can also be independent when travelling to a new city:

This may be hard for some of us, sometimes friends may not always agree on where you want to go, and breaking free to unchartered territories might scare a lot of us. You might be in a new city with an unfamiliar map, language barriers and a blank look on your face but the independence you gain from breaking free, getting lost and doing your own thing is one of the best lessons you can learn from.

Finally, before getting on the plane just accept that you are probably going to become the most unorganized group of people alive.

“Hey do you still have my shirt” …Where are my shoooes? When you live in a small bedroom apartment/hostel this is bound to happen more than once… Daily.

And god forbid you meet cute boys and try to invite them over:

“HIDE EVERYTHING”

Seriously… good luck trying to pack up your things at the end of your trip.