Traveling During a Pandemic
As a student finishing up their last year in college during a pandemic, I can tell you that my senior year did not go as planned. I had always imagined my senior year to be something like the series finales of Mad Men mixed with The Office. I would sit around with my closest friends and reflect on our years, then have a breakthrough idea for a Coca-Cola ad and be hired immediately for it. Okay, maybe I had my bar set a little high, but I think you get my point. Instead, my senior year was more like the series finale of Game of Thrones— feeling a little forced to finish up and tie up loose ends as well as being, pretty frankly, disappointing. However, I have been able to make the most out of my year by optimising the situation I found myself in. While the pandemic is still very much alive, online school has led to new opportunities. Here’s how I navigated this year with my travels to Colorado, Florida, Montana, Northern Minnesota, and Wisconsin (and Florida again).
Taking Work on the Road
We are starting to see the light at the end of the COVID tunnel here as millions of vaccines are distributed every single day. Even though many of us are excited to get back to in-person work environments and see people again, we now know that we can access our work from just about anywhere. As more companies begin to offer new hybrid office scenarios to fit each employee’s work style, the likelihood of virtual work being offered in our futures becomes ever more likely. Working virtually can be confining or liberating depending on how you approach it. Because of online school, I have been able to travel on multiple occasions this year to get a change of scenery, all while attending class and completing my work. These trips were great for my mental health and allowed me to scratch my travel itch that has lingered since quarantine began.
The Ethical Dilemma
Even when I was excited to plan my trips, I couldn’t shake a conflict that I was facing. I did not want to contribute to the spread of COVID-19 to serve selfish needs, but I also didn’t want to confine myself to just my apartment. Just because I was getting out of Minnesota or going to an area that had loosened restrictions didn’t mean I could care less about this conflict. While I remained very COVID-conscious on my travels, it was interesting to travel to other areas and get a sort of culture shock to the ways that people were handling (or not handling) the pandemic. No matter what, it was up to me to practice social distancing and mask wearing if I was ever in public. With cheaper travel options, Airbnb became a great option to find new places to stay without crossing paths with many other people.
Where and How to Travel Safely
There definitely were some new things to get used to when traveling during a pandemic. Research on how and where I was traveling to became much more important to find out the best ways to keep myself and others safe. Cabin trips were a fantastic option to get out of town with my circle and get some peace and quiet. While flights are cheap and airports are open, traveling by car was still my favorite method of transportation. The classic roadtrip is back in style and better than ever. This helped minimize risk of spreading the virus while creating an additional experience to the trip. I had never been able to do a real road trip with my friends before because of work or school to attend, but hitting the open road with some friends to go skiing in the mountains will remain a highlight of my senior year.
Although this year didn’t go as planned, I’m glad I was able to make the most of it. While travel isn’t a viable option for everyone right now due to health, financial, or other restrictions, I highly recommend finding a way to get out of your regular workspace when possible. I found that it was a refreshing change of pace that allowed me to cherish my at-home work environment more, and it showed the endless possibilities when it comes to working remotely.