Traveling to a new city, state, or country is full of adventure and discovery. Travel exposes you to new people, cultures, and food, all while allowing you to learn a little more about yourself along the way. While experiencing so many new things at once can be exciting, it can also feel overwhelming at times and present challenges that you may not encounter in your day-to-day life at home. For some, being away from everything familiar will exacerbate conditions that are usually well-managed.
Whether you have a diagnosed mental health condition, experience occasional anxiety or depression, or are part of the lucky few who rarely have bad days, know that if you struggle with your mental health while traveling, you are NOT alone! Travel comes with highs and lows, and in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Explorica by WorldStrides would like to share our top tips for maintaining your mental health when participating in a travel program.
CREATE A PLAN
Prepare for your Explorica program by creating a plan to manage your mental health while away. Think about the things that help ground you if you become anxious, sad, depressed, or experience other pressures at home and how you may incorporate those coping mechanisms into your travel program. For example, if you are someone who journals to help process your feelings, make sure to pack your journal in a safe place. If speaking with a confidant helps you—whether it be a family member, friend, or therapist—create a plan to check in with them while traveling. Your therapist from back home may not be able to speak with you while you are away, but you can discuss your travel plans with them in advance and come up with a management plan together.
TAKE YOUR MEDICATIONS
Keep your medication in your carry-on luggage in case your luggage (or you!) is delayed or lost. Make sure you have enough prescription medication with you to last throughout your program. And in the days of COVID-19, always make sure to pack extra, if possible, in case your return home is delayed. Do not assume you will be able to refill your prescription in your program destination, especially if traveling internationally. If you take your medication at a certain time each day, you’ll want to maintain that schedule while traveling. Be sure to account for any time difference between where you live and your program destination. Even a slight shift in time zones may be enough to knock your system off schedule. Remember, this doesn’t just apply to your mental health medication.
EXERCISE
Keep your endorphins up through healthy levels of exercise. You’ll clock in plenty of steps while site-seeing and exploring your new destination with Explorica!
SPEAK UP
If you are having a difficult time adjusting during your program, or just simply need to talk to someone, say something to your Program Leader or an Explorica team member. Our team members are experienced educational travel professionals who can offer a listening ear and provide good advice to help students through some of the more common issues that occur on programs. If you need professional help, WorldStrides’ Behavioral Health Assistance program through AXA can connect you with an English-speaking, licensed counselor any time of the day and anywhere in the world. WorldStrides also maintains a network of English-speaking mental health professionals in some of our most popular travel destinations and can arrange in-person counseling sessions.
DO NOT OVERCONSUME
If you are of legal drinking age, do not overconsume alcohol while traveling. Overconsuming alcohol, especially when traveling, is never a good idea. In addition to the safety risks overconsumption presents, it also can lead to feelings of depression, guilt, and even embarrassment, not to mention disciplinary consequences if you are caught.
REMEMBER THAT EVERYONE STRUGGLES SOMETIMES!
Don’t be tricked by others who appear to always be enjoying themselves. It is easy to compare our experiences with someone else’s, especially in the time of social media. Remember, whether in real life or on your screen, people often will only show you their highlight reel. Everyone will experience a range of emotions when traveling; it’s just that not everyone experiences their highs and lows at the same time. Comparing your experience to someone else’s will rarely make you feel better. On the same note, be compassionate. A kind smile or a genuine check-in to see how someone else is feeling may make all the difference in their day—and yours!
A SPECIAL NOTE FOR PARENTS AND GUARDIANS
Speak with your students about managing their mental health while away from home. Understand that sending your student away from pressures they may encounter at home does not mean that their struggles with mental health will not travel with them. If your student is a minor and you have special concerns, have an open dialogue with their Program Leader. Being upfront about your students’ needs will not create a stigma, but it will help the Program Leader and Explorica team know how to best support your student while traveling. If your student is an adult, encourage them to speak up to their program staff and advocate for themselves. If they allow you, help them with creating their management plan before they travel in order to set them up for success while they are away.
We want all students to have safe, healthy, and rewarding programs. If you have concerns about how you (or your student) will manage your mental health while on a program, speak up and we can guide you through available resources to help support your mental health while having a life-changing educational travel experience!