Going on Erasmus for a study, starting a new life in another country, going on a solo trip, working abroad… You name it. These are all things that demand for you to step out of your comfort zone and start travelling alone. We know it’s a big leap but in the end, it’s tremendously rewarding. Solo travel expands your horizons by testing your limits. Furthermore, you have a lot of benefits to gain from travelling on your own. So why not take the chance?
We did our research and found out what travellers usually consider good reasons for travelling alone. Will you be chasing your dream? Here are some reasons to get you started!
1. You will get to know yourself better
During your international adventure, you’ll get to know a lot about yourself. When I say a lot, I truly mean a LOT. In the nick of time, you’ll find out what you are capable of and which issues you struggle with a bit. For self-reflection purposes, these matters are enormously helpful to be aware of. If you monitor these work points closely, you can work to become the best version of yourself. All by solo travelling, can you believe it? You’ll discover things about yourself that’ll make your jaw drop.
2. It makes you think about life
It’s an experience you can always fall back upon. It puts life in perspective and learns you to approach situations from different angles. Super helpful when you face challenging times later in life. Travelling alone means actually being alone at times. That’s when you’ll start thinking about the true purpose in your life. This eye-opening opportunity may provide much-needed insight in the things you want in order to live a happy life. Something you wouldn’t have if you stay home.
3. You will step out of your comfort zone
Let’s face it, it can be an issue to go somewhere on your own. Have you ever gone to see a movie by yourself, for example? No? Don’t worry, a lot of people haven’t. However doing these sort of things, are exactly the opportunities that will make you grow as a person. It’s true what they say. Life really does begin at the end of your comfort zone. All sorts of activities during your adventure abroad, will prove that. So, as intimidating as it may seem, living somewhere far away from everyone you know, helps you grow as an individual. It is right outside of your comfort zone that your limits and ability to deal with the unknown are challenged.
4. You will easily make new friends
Even though you might find difficulty in making new friends in your home country, you’ll surprise yourself how much easier it is when you’re travelling alone. This is due to the fact that you don’t want to be lonely and you go into a sort of survival mode to make sure you still have people around you. That’s why you’ll do everything within your power to start conversations with local people and others. We promise, you’ll have no shred of timidity or embarrassment in doing so. If you do it right, contrary to what people say, your time abroad will be the most social time of your life. You’ll end up with friends in every corner of the planet!
5. Your confidence will get a boost
It doesn’t matter how long you stay abroad for. Your time there will help you gain valuable skills. Once you’re aware of these skills and know how to deploy them, you’ll be a more confident person. This comes in handy when coping with obstacles in the future. You’ll be a stronger person who’s more resilient than ever before. With a boosted confidence also comes the realization that it is significant to respect your own needs. Therefore, the perception you have of yourself and the estimation of your limits, is much more accurate. Not entirely unimportant in today’s world!
6. You will start enjoying your own company
Like said before, you’ll be alone sometimes. But it’s important to acknowledge that “me, myself and I time” is actually underrated in day-to-day life. In fact, these are the moments you get to know yourself best. We are constantly being bombarded by all sorts of stimulation. We are hardly given any chance to sit down for a moment and check in with ourselves. In no time, you’ll notice you start appreciating your own company much more. You might even genuinely enjoy it. Who will tell? All of this may sound cliché but the truth is that you can only truly enjoy your life when you are comfortable with yourself. This is probably one of the best reasons to go on an individual adventure.
7. Good for your well-being
This one might be obvious. Travelling in general is good for our well-being. Apart from the fact that is reduces stress and breaks the pattern of our routine lives, it’s very pleasant for body and soul to be in another environment for a while. This is why you often feel reborn and energized after travelling. In the long term, travelling by yourself might make you happier. Spending time alone has been shown to combat depression. Did you know that?
8. You will become a problem-solver and decision-maker
Always had difficulty making decisions and coming up with solutions to solve problems? That time will be over. Solo-travelling means making decisions on the run. Every moment of the day, you’ll be in charge of deciding for yourself. Bumping into a problem? Time to come up with a plan to solve it. You will need to come up with creative ideas and, above all, be able to rely on yourself at all times. Being able to rely on yourself and trust your instincts once in a while, will become a life-changing skill.
9. You will improve your language skills
Put aside all your language classes, language books and all other attempts that you undertook to learn a foreign language. There’s just no better way than complete immersion in a foreign country to learn a new language. Don’t be silly here. It takes some effort. You’ll experience some trouble with overcoming the language barrier and particularly in the first period of your journey. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll learn the language at a rapid pace.
Do you want to practice foreign languages with native speakers in Barcelona? Take a look here.
Travelling alone means you’ll be alone at times that you’re not used to. You will have to make decisions that, beforehand, others might have made for you. This is both fun and challenging. It’s fun because a lot of freedom is involved. For the first time in your life you’ll have the feeling that you can follow and trust your own heart. It is you who determines things from now on. Are you ready to discover your true self and head off on your next solo adventure?
Are you an international Erasmus student who’s currently studying or doing an internship in the city of Barcelona? Then you’re probably looking for places in and around Spain to travel to… Take a look at our upcoming trips and discover new places for solo travelling! Stay tuned for other fun activities on our website!