In our current time, technology continues to become more accessible. While high-tech is cool, keeping a travel journal is too! I chose to study abroad spring semester, so for Christmas I received many gifts related to studying abroad. One gift in particular was a travel journal. Mine is a leather, with an old-fashioned look (just what I wanted!), and it has kept up with my travels because I try to always take the time to write in it.
I think that documenting your travel experiences is good for your mental health. Sometimes if things go wrong, it's nice to look back and see all the successes you've had while being abroad. Looking back on happier moments is a great thing to do whether you're in a bad mood or not! And then, write down something bad that happened and how you overcame it. When you're back at home, I'm sure (I hope) it'll be a funny story by then.
While I personally love the idea of keeping a travel journal, technology and social media make it very easy to keep track of your experiences as well. Something that I also use are Instagram highlights. Making a highlight reel is another great tool when reminiscing on adventures. Another way to keep track in a more high-tech way would be through the use of compiling video clips of your experiences.
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| View from a window in my apartment, something to take a photo of and write about. |
Travel journals are a great way to unwind and document where you were and what you were thinking in a specific moment in time. Even if you aren't big on writing, there are plenty of ways to utilize a journal. Ate at a delicious restaurant? Write it down. Got a great deal while shopping? Write it down. Got stuck in the airport because you missed your flight? Write that down too!
Write down what bars and restaurants you went to. Who knows, maybe you'll visit in a few years and go back to the same place! Write down who you went on a trip with--they might become lifelong friends! Use the journal as a scrapbook of sorts. I've glued in tickets, receipts, and even public transport tickets from various cities I've visited!
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| I always tried to write down my weekend travel adventures right after coming back, so it was still fresh on the mind. |
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| Take photos for your own memories, not just to look good on social media. |
I think that documenting your travel experiences is good for your mental health. Sometimes if things go wrong, it's nice to look back and see all the successes you've had while being abroad. Looking back on happier moments is a great thing to do whether you're in a bad mood or not! And then, write down something bad that happened and how you overcame it. When you're back at home, I'm sure (I hope) it'll be a funny story by then.
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| Write down the moments that Instagram doesn't see- like sprinting through an Italian train station! |
While I personally love the idea of keeping a travel journal, technology and social media make it very easy to keep track of your experiences as well. Something that I also use are Instagram highlights. Making a highlight reel is another great tool when reminiscing on adventures. Another way to keep track in a more high-tech way would be through the use of compiling video clips of your experiences.
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| The travel journal should have the bloopers, while Instagram is the highlights. |
Overall, documenting your adventures abroad is important. Not for the Instagram likes or Facebook comments, but for yourself. One day, looking back, I'm sure you'll be happy you did!
Cara S. is the Spring '18 MOJO Blogger in Madrid, Spain. She is currently a Sophomore studying Public Relations, Marketing & Spanish at University of Dayton.