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Our twenties, in my opinion, is a time in life that is perfect for exploration and going on adventures that you’ve never gone on, or might not have time for in the future. When you really think about it, once you’re done university it’s not always possible to take a month off from work and other responsibilities to go travelling or do something for yourself. So naturally my thoughts were “YOLO I SHOULD GO BACKPACKING.”

This past summer I made a bit of a spontaneous decision and decided to go backpacking by myself through Western Europe. If you don’t know me, I’m a 5’3.5 asian female, and so some people were surprised that I was going alone. I’ll admit it was a little intimidating at first but honestly it was a fantastic experience. One that I am proud of and will be memorable to me.

BUT I don’t want to bore you with details about how it was a life changing experience blah blah blah. I want to share with you things that I learned about travelling (in Western Europe) and hopefully it will help you make the step to buying tickets for your next adventure!  

1. Go with a friend, or go alone!

- There were points in my trip where I literally went hours on end without talking to anyone. It could get lonely backpacking alone but at the same time if you stay in hostels, it’s super easy to make friends! As well, if you travel solo you can see the world on your own time.

Wake up alarms? Who needs that?

Want to sit in a park and people watch instead of going to a tourist destination? I’m going to pop a seat and people watch!

BUTTTT with that said, part of me wanted a friend to share my experiences with. It would have been nice to be able to share stories with someone I knew not only while travelling but also when I got home.

2. Your backpack should weigh less than 12kg.

- No one (and I mean no one) wants to walk or run around with a heavy backpack. How else are you going to run for trains/buses/planes when you’re late?

3. Don’t be fooled into buying everything on “What to pack when backpacking” blogs.

- You should always do a little research before going on your trip, and that includes what you might want to pack. But seriously, some of the things on some people’s lists are plain unnecessary: a drying line, fancy water bottles, expensive gadgets… just no. Use your common sense, would you use these things at home? Probably not. So don’t buy them. You can get pretty resourceful while travelling so just be smart about what you buy.

4. Invest in a quick dry towel!

- Best $20 you’ll probably spend on a towel. Soooo convenient.

5. Haven’t figured out where you want to travel to?

- That’s ok! Honestly you could buy your tickets to Europe and then just figure it out as you go. Travelling within Europe is one of the easiest things I’ve ever done. It’s arguably as easy as bussing within Vancouver. Check out sites such as ryan air, easy jet, or go to the train stations and you can figure out where you want to go next by seeing what cheap tickets are available!

6. Smart Phone?

- There is no need to purchase a SIM card or a phone plan if you’re travelling in Europe. Turn on airplane mode on your phone and connect to wifi whenever it’s available. Seriously, wifi became my most wanted commodity while I was away. I’m assuming you won’t really need to call or text anyone - and then that’s where Facebook Messenger becomes the greatest invention ever.

7. Trust your street smarts.

- Especially if you’re travelling alone, you obviously need to be a little more aware, but don’t be afraid to travel by yourself! Everyone has a little street smart in them, and travelling alone is sometimes the best way to really challenge yourself and put those skills to the test. You have a lot of time to discover new things about yourself and change your perception of the environment around you.

Travelling - whether alone or with friends is a chance for you to become a more educated global citizen in every aspect and also a fantastic way of personally developing. I honestly couldn’t recommend it more. I know finances can usually get in the way but even if you have to take a loan or borrow from the “Bank of Mom and Dad” it’s worth it. There is so much to see and do in this world, that I encourage everyone to try and get a peek at it no matter how long or short it might be. Be free and satisfy that wanderlust!

We are already more than halfway into 2014! Oh how time flies/zooms/dashes/sprints. Well this means it’s time to check up on the progress of my New Year’s resolution, or what I like to call “Melinda’s Big Dreams for 2014”.

One of my “big dreams” is to get a six pack by the end of the year. What are the chances of me getting one? Hmm probably not that high, but that’s my motivation to push myself. I think sometimes it’s nice to set high standards, and then have daily attainable goals that get you closer to that standard. Why a six pack? It’s just a personal preference, and I guess I’d like to be able to see the “fruits of my labour” (which sounded so much better in my head…).

I’ve always kind of been an internet bum ever since I got my first computer in Grade 9. I do like sports, but somehow I just end up sitting in front of my computer playing games and watching dramas. It wasn’t until the end of 2013 that I told myself to get off my butt and be more physically active. Dance was a good start, but I wanted to do more to make up for my lack of sport activities back in high school. One of my mini goals to get to my dream six pack was to join the UBC REC volleyball league. 

[my other goal]

I had wanted to join back in first year, but I was afraid to ask people to start a team and I’m not good at volleyball. I’m glad I got over that fear because I had a great volleyball team this year in term 2 (of 2013/14). Playing with them was a lot of fun; plus I got my exercise in and learned some new skills. It’s a win-win-win situation, and I’m one step closer to getting that six pack! Other than volleyball, a bunch of friends got me hooked on to ultimate (VUL). I was a little hesitant at first since I’ve never really played ultimate before, but someone told me that all you have to do is run. Running = exercise, so perfect! But oh no, ultimate is actually a lot more than running. It’s sprinting, throwing, catching, jumping, blocking, diving, etc. It’s exhausting, but it feels so good after (especially when we win). Again, playing with such an amazing ultimate team keeps me motivated to go to every game.

[how I play ultimate]

However, there is still one thing I need to do to build my six pack (and other muscles), which is to go to the gym! I did go to the gym before (UBC Birdcoop), but I usually don’t stay there for long and I don’t go often… I got lazy, and since I was doing it by myself I didn’t feel obligated to go. So it was great when I found a few gym buddies last week! We all want to work on different things, but we keep each other motivated (oh she’s doing 5 more crunches; I better do 5 more as well). Of course, know the limit of your body; if it’s your first time lifting weights, start with lighter weights first and slowly move up. Whether you like working out by yourself or with a friend/s, I think everybody should go to the gym at least once. Give it a try, there’s nothing to lose but lots to gain (ehhh if you know what I mean *flex*). Though I’m trying to go to the gym every day, you still won’t catch me up at 6am to hit the gym. No way. 

One “big dream” led to many small, realistic, goals that changed my lazy lifestyle to a more active one. I mean, I still like sitting in front of my computer, but at least I’m not doing that all day every day. You don’t have to join a sports league or be a gym rat to be physically active. Just do something that you enjoy and that keeps your heart pumping. Now try to do that every day! :)

Hopefully I will keep this up until the end of this year and beyond. If I start reverting back to my computer bum self, please come up to me and poke me in the stomach and say, “Hey, so where’s your six pack abs?”

Work hard, play hard!