As a student, traveling without parents for the first time can be an extremely daunting task, and with all of the school sponsored trips coming up, it has become crucial that students know what the necessary precautions are to take while traveling abroad. Currently, the school is offering educational trips to the Galápagos, Spain, and the Dominican Republic. These trips are guaranteed to be a very rewarding experience for all participants, but safety should not be overlooked because of excitement.

A strong fear of traveling has been firmly established in today’s social and political climate. Junior Ali Henderson, who is traveling on the school sponsored Spain trip, shares “The only thing I have seen in media has been terrorist attacks, plane crashes, and on top of that there are problems in Northern Spain, which I know is not where we are going, but it is still frightening and I’m just so nervous.” Although Henderson’s fears are justifiable, they should not be a factor in preventing anyone from traveling.

To avoid having her nerves dominate her experience, Henderson claims “I will try to sleep on the plane so that I can’t think about my fears, and I really think that I just have to do it and not think about it too much.” Henderson’s method of motivating herself into traveling abroad is very admirable. Visiting another country unaccompanied by parents is a very freeing experience for most high schoolers and it enables students to become independent individuals.

Fear of terrorism or any danger of any kind should not be a preventing factor for students who wish to travel abroad. Junior Molly Ahern eloquently puts it as is, “We could die anywhere, so we can’t let the fear of that stop us from living.”

For students who are considering or are already planning on going on a school sponsored trip abroad, there are definitely some safety precautions to keep in mind. Señora Kelley, a teacher who is closely involved with both the Spain and Galápagos trip, shares “I think that it is very important to make sure that you have a copy of your passport, and documentation. You should also know where your local embassy is and the important phone numbers and contact information you need from both abroad and at home so that you are able to get in touch with your families. Always being aware of your surroundings is also very important and knowing to the best of your ability where you are at all times. Having safe exit strategies and reliable transportation is also a necessity.” Señora’s advice is tremendously helpful and all students who intend to travel abroad alone should keep her words in mind for their journey.

High school should be a time for new experiences and expanding the definition of what constitutes a “comfort zone.” So, to all students who are considering a school sponsored excursion, don’t let fear hold you back from a truly extraordinary experience.