BY AYESHA BİLAL (PSYC/III)
ayesha@ug.bilkent.edu.tr
Globetrotting and Getting Started
Dear Bilkenters, as you welcome yourselves back to Bilkent in your tanned and refreshed states and oblige yourselves to move on from the long summer break, I’m sure many of you are sadly bidding farewell to that season of freedom (even though you may at the same time be eagerly looking forward to meeting up with your friends and immersing yourselves back into student life). But the truth is that no matter how much we wail and whine, we have to admit it is one of the most kinetic and exciting times of our lives, maybe even the most. Therefore, almost as a recurring theme, I continue urging readers to remember to do and experience, without postponement or delay, as much as they can. That being said, given how much longer this summer break was than usual, I’m sure everyone made the best of their time and had a memorable vacation.
For some, like myself, it was the last such break, and many will know what I’m talking about in around a year’s time as they begin a completely new chapter of their lives. I speak for myself when I say that I had a summer I will remember for ages to come, all due to a motivating travel partner as thirsty for adventure as I was. Here I should mention what some may have already inferred: I have an overwhelming enthusiasm for traveling and exploring different cultures in various parts of the world, partly the aftermath of a childhood of globetrotting with a mother with the same interests.
My adventures of this summer and the variety of locations I went to made me want to carry out my long-held intention of writing a travel blog. As summer came toward its end and I began collecting all my thoughts and memories in order to write them down, I realized I already had an incredible medium through which to describe the various destinations I had traveled to and all the preparations and planning that made them all smooth and financially undemanding experiences. And what better audience to have at hand than travel- and adventure-hungry students who yearn for some time away from grinding through books and projects? Therefore, I resolved that I would give my columns an overall theme this year, to appeal to those specifically interested in travel and travel-related tips and information.
I will begin with something that I think is essential for everyone in their student years, and a skill that it is never too late or early to develop: that is, knowing how to both save and spend money, and how to prioritize one’s expenditures. I can safely say that had it not been for a year-long effort to save penny by penny, I would not have been able to experience everything I did this summer, from the historical ruins here in Turkey, to the beautiful islands of Greece, and then from there to a much-awaited, month-long journey in the Himalayas and the forests of Nepal. I have to contain myself so as not to begin pouring out the details of those breathtaking destinations, as I plan on giving them in later columns, so I will get back on track.
I had never saved money until I religiously began doing so last year, but I found that when you prioritize something in your mind, all the paths needed to achieve the goal on your own become straightforward. Saving money is neither a difficult nor a complicated feat; in fact, it is easier done than said. I began with the most obvious strategy: prioritizing my expenditures and always considering what was unessential when it came to spending money. As a student, I am, like most others, financed by my parents and for a long time assumed that money would always arrive when needed. However, after saving money by resisting spending it on superfluous and ephemeral expenses—including indulgences like regularly dining out or satisfying late-night fast-food cravings (which really did me no good anyway)—I found that a bit of a stash can go a long way once it has accumulated, even if your priorities may be different than mine and your weekly goal is not to end your last Friday class and then head to the airport or bus station to spend the weekend in a completely different location. On top of that, for those of you who do fantasize about taking monthly or even more frequent trips if time permits, I urge you to go online and explore the world of options available to help you find deals and bargains on hotels, plane tickets, etc. For instance, just by logging onto any major airline’s website, you will find plentiful offers and promotions that most people remain unaware of. To those beginning their first year in college, I hope you heed this advice, because if you ask me, there is no better collection of memories and experiences you can gather at this age and time in your life than those relating to different cities and countries, cultures and peoples. And for those of you further along in your university career, it’s not too late to adopt a very valuable habit that will go a long way. To illustrate the point, I can say that last year alone I managed to save enough to finance over ten trips, two of them international, all from the money I saved each month. Although this may sound difficult, it did not actually take too much effort, and it was in fact good to cut down on all the other indulgences I considered but fleeting.
With that, I look forward to an exciting start for the new year and all the adventures it will bring with it. With this being my last year, I plan not to waste a day being idle and am optimistic that reading this will inspire some of you as well.