One of the most rewarding experiences that come from going on an educational student tour are the hundreds of memories that you make. While the majority of those memories will stay with you for the rest of your life, a handful will slip away. What better way is there to keep this from happening than making a tangible object that can be shared with generations to come?
It’s for this reason that I want to share with you a wonderful educational blog post that my Mom wrote on why keeping a travel journal is a great investment.
Keeping a travel journal is an amazing way to record your educational travel experience. It’s important to remember that your journal serves as a reflection of your own thoughts and interests and showcases your personality. It can be a few pages or a book bursting at the seams. So let your journal be as simple or as detailed as you’d like. Since making one requires no great artistic ability, it’s easy for anyone to create their own. If you can write, color, draw, and/or glue, then you already have the qualifications to craft your very own travel journal!
Writing a travel journal can take many forms. A lot of people enjoy using their travel journal by writing a variety of lists. These may include the top 10 sights visited, the top 5 new foods I tried, the top 10 places I want to visit, or the top 5 night-time activities in that particular city. Another idea is that if you have a jam-packed itinerary for your student tour you might just want to write a few sentences with the highlights of your day. On the other hand, if your itinerary consists of some days with long bus or train rides you can use that time to fill your journal with all your daily activities from morning to night. It really doesn’t matter just go with whatever you like best!
Once you have an idea of what you want your travel journal to look like, it’s time to go shopping and find a book that suits your preferences. There are literally hundreds of options out there. You can buy an empty book (lined or unlined), a book that’s specifically for travel journaling, or there are even books that are halfway completed. You just fill it in with your stories! If you’re the artist type, who likes to draw and paint, you may want to purchase a book that’s compatible with watercolor or acrylic paints. Just remember that if you want to record your memories daily, seek out a journal that’s small enough so you can keep it with you in your “day bag” while you’re out seeing the sites. A 5×7 or 4×5 is a good size.
You may wonder now what should I put in my journal? Don’t worry there are tons of options besides the usual daily musings!
You may want to include postcards that you pick-up throughout your educational trip of the various landmarks that you visit and the cities that call them home. Simply glue them right in and write your thoughts about them. Don’t throw away those maps, brochures, museum tickets, theatre stubs, or metro tickets! They are wonderful additions that will remind you of great times. You can also pickup stamps, patches, and stickers to scatter through the pages or a keychain to attach to the journal if you get one with a spiral ring. You may want to also leave some blank areas on the pages so you can add personal photos to your journal once you return home. As I mentioned earlier, if you’re the artistic type you can always add your own sketches and doodles to the pages and embellish the borders. These add a great personalized touch. I also enjoy embellishing the cover of my travel journals by customizing it to the places we’re visiting on our family vacation. It’s also a good idea to include the overall dates of your trip and to date each day. The top corner of the page is a great place to do so.
As you’re packing and preparing for your student tour, you may want to go on ahead and pre-do some pages before you embark. That way you’ll be even more excited for the incredible journey you’re getting ready to take. Once you’ve done so, pack a few of those supplies to take with you. This could include, travel themed scrapbook paper, stickers, washi tape, colored markers, color pencils, lots of glue sticks, scotch tape, and a great writing pen. I prefer black ones that are along the lines of a permanent marker. Don’t forget to make sure and put your scissors into your checked luggage!
Keeping a travel journal is a great way to record the excitement that comes with a trip. This memory book of your travels will extend your trip long after you return home. It’s a great way to share with your family and friends all the wonderful memories you made on your student tour. I hope you’ll make one next time you travel, and if you’ve made one before, I’d love to see it. Leave a comment or post it to our Facebook page.
Happy journaling,
Rebecca and Kate.