Travel Tips from an Aspiring Expert

I will be the first to say that I am no travel expert. I have only begun to learn what it means to be a responsible and savvy traveler. That being said, I did travel around Europe for four and a half months, and I did manage to get home in one piece. And I think that there are at least a few little pieces of travel-related advice that I could throw out there for anyone who's interested.

For the sake of your sanity and mine, I'm going to attempt to categorize my advice so that it's not a total brain dump.

PACKING
--Use carry-on sized luggage. Kind of a duh one. The obvious benefits include avoiding luggage fees (I'm looking at you, RyanAir), not worrying about lost luggage (because you've got everything you need right there with you!), and portability (hauling 50 pounds of luggage on the Paris metro during rush hour is an experience that I would not wish upon my worst enemies). Plus, how much stuff do you really need? Answer: less than you think.
--Don't pack for the worst-case scenario. I was a Girl Scout all the way up through senior year of high school, and the "be prepared" mentality has really stuck with me. But there's a fine line between being reasonably prepared and carrying around the equivalent of an ambulance in your first-aid kit.
--Roll your clothes. Seriously. Saves so much luggage space. You can use compression bags for the bulkier stuff (like sweaters). I used these.
--Ziploc bags for organizing. Electronic accessories, hair ties, and travel-size toiletries (of course).
--Pick about three outfits, and stick with them. It's not worth the extra weight and space in your bag. It's only for a short time, and you'll be reunited with your full wardrobe before you know it. And for the love of Totino's Pizza Rolls, don't pack anything that needs to be ironed.

That was the only time I wore that shirt on my whole 4.5-month-long trip.

SECURITY CHECKS
--Always, always, always take off your boots at the airport. Sometimes they tell you not to worry about it. Take them off anyway, because you WILL get flagged by the metal detector or whatever it is and have to do the whole pat-down, take-off-your-shoes-and-run-them-through-the-x-ray-machine-while-everyone-in-line-behind-you-glares-because-you're-holding-up-the-line thing.
--Ten three-ounce (100ml) liquids in one quart-size (liter-size) Ziploc bag. And the bag has to zip shut, so don't even try it. Try buying products that have more than one use (3-in-1 body wash, shampoo, and conditioner) and solid toiletries (like bars of soap).

KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR STUFF/NOT GETTING PICKPOCKETED
--Zippered. Pockets. My Swiss mishaps taught me that. Although I learned the hard way that even zippered pockets aren't foolproof.
--Pack everything important in your daypack. I'm talking passport, credit cards, plane tickets, etc. Keep that stuff on you at all times.
--Consider a money belt, especially in places where pickpockets are common. You might feel like a dork wearing one, but honestly, sometimes it's just comforting to know that if your pockets do get picked, at least you won't lose your super important stuff. This is the one I used.
--Get a combination lock for your bag. (I used this one and this one.) Then you can wear your backpack on your back without worrying about someone digging around in it. The alternative is wearing your backpack on your front, which is like a blinking neon sign saying "I'm a tourist!"
--Make two copies of your travel documents. Keep one with you, in a separate place from the originals, and leave an extra copy at home. It'll be much easier to replace documents then if--God forbid--you lose them.
--Be super careful in crowds. Street performers can be entertaining, but sometimes they're simply a distraction.

If you go to the Eiffel Tower, prepare to be besieged by guys jangling mini Eiffel Towers and calling"One Euro, one Euro, one Euro!"

GOOD INVESTMENTS
--Set a budget, and at least try to stick to it. I know this isn't really an "investment," but do it anyway. I didn't, so I'm still paying for my travels now that I'm home. (So worth it, though.)
--Travel insurance. Thank the Universe I never had to use it, but it sure was nice knowing that if something really bad did actually happen, I was covered. Just make sure you read the fine print and pick a legit company. (I used World Nomads.)
--Collapsible water bottle. I bought this one, and honestly, it was so worth the $13 I paid for it. First of all, save money and the environment because it's reusable. Plus, stay hydrated! (Even if it's not hot outside.) Also, save space in your bag because it takes up next to no space when it's empty.

WASTE OF MONEY
--Sleep headphones. When I bought these right before my trip, they seemed like a great idea, considering that I was going to spend the next 4.5 months sharing rooms with a bunch of complete strangers making who-knows-how-much noise. But then I realized that I can't actually sleep with anything on my face. Besides, if I've spent my day right, I'm too tired for anything--noise, light, crappy pillows--to stop me from sleeping.
--Sleep mask. Ditto

I can sleep anywhere.

GETTING GOOD DEALS
--Use Kiwi.com for flights, and Rome2Rio to compare other travel options. 'Nuff said.
--Be flexible. You can get a way better deal by being flexible with dates and times. Also look into alternative airports/train stations/bus stations. The central one is usually the most expensive. It might be cheaper to arrive in the outskirts of town, and use public transportation from there.

ACCOMMODATIONS
--READ THE REVIEWS. Sometimes you can handle crappy Wi-Fi in the hostels, or rooms so small that you're practically sleeping on top of the stranger in the next bed. But isn't it better to know about those things ahead of time?
--Hostelworld is a ripoff. At the beginning of my trip, I used it constantly. It made it very easy to compare and book hostels. BUT, as I found out in the last month of my trip, they jack up the prices. So now I just use Hostelworld as a search engine for finding hostels (and reading those reviews!), and then get in touch with the hostel directly to book.

Hostelworld.com (They have an app, too.)

NAVIGATION
--Use HERE we go for offline navigation (walking or driving). Just download the maps you need ahead of time, so you can avoid using data (which is generally way more expensive internationally).
--Moovit is great for public transportation.
--When in doubt, follow the locals. (Of course, you can always ask one, too, if you know the language.) Where's the exit from this metro station? Just let yourself be swept along with the crowd.

MISCELLANEOUS
--Let your bank know when and where you're traveling. Otherwise you might end up unable to use your credit and debit cards. (It happened to me my first morning in London.) And make sure you have an emergency stash of cash (in the local currency), just in case.
--Make sure someone at home knows where you're planning to go each day. And check in with them regularly. If your plan changes, that's fine! Nothing wrong with being spontaneous. Just let them know. Don't make them worry about you.
--TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS. I'm all for trying new things and stepping out of your comfort zone, but if something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. Don't stick around to find out.
--Make sure you're up-to-date on any vaccines you need for where you're going. And for the love of Old Bay, make sure you know whether it's safe to drink the water. You don't want to end up all alone in a hospital where you don't speak the language.

FUN ADVICE
--Buy souvenirs (but not too many!). I picked postcards for my own personal souvenirs because they were cheap, lightweight and easy to pack, plus I could find them anywhere I went. I did buy a few other souvenirs, of course, but I learned the hard way not to buy heavy/bulky ones.
--Take pictures! They're the best souvenirs.
--Keep a travel journal. When you get home, you won't remember the name of the beer you had that amazing restaurant, or who you played beer pong with in the hostel bar. Write all that stuff down at the end of each day so those details don't slip away.
--Step out of your comfort zone. Travel is all about broadening your horizons (as cliched as it is to say it, it's true), so try something new! Go grab food with someone you just met. Walk up and introduce yourself to people.
--Listen to your whims. Maybe you were planning to spend the whole day in the Lourve, but on the way there, you pass by a street market that catches your eye. Go check it out! The Lourve will still be there later.

I had a whim to jump in an Icelandic lake. And as soon as I was in it, I had a whim to get back in the hot springs.

I had more advice than I thought. Hopefully it's useful for at least some of you!

Did I miss anything?