
Of course, the main activity of a student is studying, but there is much more to experience as a young adult. These are our best years and there are so many opportunities out there! Activities outside of school contribute a lot to your personal growth towards the holistic person you want to become. Travelling is a good example of an enriching experience, like the cheesy quote says: Travelling is the only thing you buy that makes you richer 😉 If you are the type of person that likes to explore other cultures, see beautiful nature or just change the environment once in a while, there are a lot of opportunities for you being a student at the University of Edinburgh.
Our university’s semester dates are great because they allow you to travel outside the main tourist season, when the fares and accommodation prices are lower. First two weeks of January, Flexible Learning Week, Easter vacation in April, end of May and the whole of June are excellent opportunities to take advantage of our time off, as a lot of people still have to study or work at these times. Then there is the summer vacation, which is almost 4 months long! You can find time for internships, paid work, time with your family and there is still plenty left for travelling. Once we start our working career, there is a high probability that we won’t be able to take so much time off, so better use the opportunity while we can.
Edinburgh is a good starting point for travelling because of its good and cheap connections. Or if there is no direct connection from here, you can always go from London which is quite close and accessible and offers connections literally all around the world. Low budget airlines and cheap bus transfers like Megabus have made traveling an accessible student activity, especially if you are not looking for very luxurious vacations. Ryanair, EasyJet, Wizzair, Jet2.com are a great way to fly away to other European or nearby destinations for either a city visit, beach break or more adventurous journeys.
You can also just stay in Scotland to enjoy some amazing sights and experiences. It is a place of beautiful lakes, old castles, sandy beaches, many islands, hills, interesting history and much more. There are tours to St. Andrews, Isle of Skye, Harry Potter attractions and elsewhere organised by international student centre which are affordable and well-organised. Once you are 21 you can also rent a car and make a road trip around this beautiful country we are studying in with your friends. This is certainly on my bucket list!