Thesis, Capstone, Dissertation: What's the Difference?

After several years of attending classes, writing papers, and taking tests, you might think that your work is done and you can waltz out of college with a degree. That may be true in some cases, but many programs have one more requirement for students who want to earn their degrees: A final project. 

Every program and school has their own specific parameters, but the final project usually falls into one of three categories: A thesis, a capstone, or a dissertation. Which type of project you’ll be required to complete varies depending on your college program and what type of degree you’re seeking. However, understanding the difference between them will help you to plan ahead to ensure that your final project is the best it can possibly be.

1. Thesis

In the past, the thesis paper was the most common type of project completed by both undergraduate and graduate students as a final requirement for graduation. At the undergraduate level, these intensive research papers were often offered as either an option for students who wanted to get a head start on graduate-level research or a requirement for graduating with honors in their major. 

In the simplest terms, a thesis paper is an academic research paper built around a strong thesis statement. Depending on the subject, the thesis either is a new interpretation of existing research on the subject, or based on original research conducted by the student combined with existing knowledge in the field. For example, an undergraduate media studies student may choose to research the portrayal of a certain demographic on television, and conduct a content analysis of several programs to compare the current state of television to existing conclusions. 

The purpose of a thesis paper is to provide an opportunity for students to apply the knowledge they have gained in their college coursework while simultaneously expanding their knowledge via research. It’s not a “typical” research paper; it’s much longer, for starters, with specific formatting requirements. In addition, students are generally required to present and defend their research to a thesis committee, who may ask for revisions before accepting and grading the project.

2. Capstone

A capstone project shares many characteristics with thesis papers, in that it’s a large-scale project in which a student can demonstrate his or her knowledge and apply what’s been learned in class. However, capstone projects are more than just a paper, although they usually include a written component. 

In most programs, the capstone project requires students, working either individually or in a group, to complete a “real-world” project involving an actual product, service, or client. For example, a capstone project may involve developing new software or communication tools to improve client processes. In addition to developing and implementing a solution, capstone projects usually involve developing a thesis statement, conducting research, and reporting on the results of the project in a written form as well as a presentation.

3. Dissertation

While thesis and capstone projects are usually reserved for undergraduate and graduate levels, doctoral candidates often must complete a dissertation in order to earn their degrees. A dissertation is the most rigorous type of academic research. While a thesis or capstone relies on the application of existing research, a dissertation requires highly focused and original research and application. For example, a student seeking a doctoral degree in educational leadership might conduct an action-based study, examining an existing practice to identify potential areas for change, and then testing a proposed solution to those issues. However, the most important point is that rather than reinterpreting or applying existing research and theories, a dissertation is a new addition to the canon of research on the topic. 

Because dissertations are expected to represent the pinnacle of academic excellence, they generally take several years to complete (as opposed to the one to three semesters needed for a capstone or thesis) and there is a high level of guidance at every step. In most cases, dissertations are reviewed and approved by committees, who are involved with the projects at every point. However, in addition to earning a doctoral degree because of the project, most students are able to publish their research, adding an additional credential to their CV.

Completing a final project is an important part of concluding any type of academic program. Look into your program’s requirements well in advance, so you’re prepared with a proposed topic and plan when it comes time to complete your research project. You might even find that your final project to be among the highlights of your academic career.

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Tips to Fix College Essay Writing Problems

There are some common problems that most students face while writing college essays. Students make errors in writing college admission essays all of the time. They should make sure that the hard work they put in for writing essays does not go waste, instead earning the highest score possible. At the outset let us look at some common errors which students commit while writing college essays and also the ways to correct them.

1. Repetition: This is a common stylistic error found in most college essays and also in college admission essays. Repetition is seen as redundancy which makes the essay dull and readers lose interest immediately. A college essay should not have the same structures being repeated. One sentence should convey one clear meaning. Ambiguous sentences and abstract constructions are to be avoided.

2. Use of Vague Words: An essay should not have vague words like things or stuff. Students must use precise words while writing essays. Do avoid words with more general meaning such as society, aspects, groups etc. Instead use words with specific meaning in college essays. Do talk about what you are referring to directly and do not use round about techniques.

Essay writing challenges. Flickr: prusakolep

3. Excessive Use of “I”: In an admission essay the use of “I” is necessary, but it should not be used in excess. It becomes repetitive to read frequent occurrences of “I”. In college essays also the use of first person pronoun beyond an extent makes the essay monotonous and boring for the readers. The use of “I” should, therefore, be limited to a moderate level.

4. Use of too many Adjectives and Adverbs: Adjectives and adverbs are the embellishments in an essay. But too many of them in a single essay would make the essay difficult and hard to digest. Hence an appropriate use of adjectives and adverbs is desirable in college essays.

5. Use of Weak Verbs: Verbs are bifurcated into strong and weak verbs. Essays look wonderful when strong verbs are employed at the right places. Strong verbs convey the action or state of being. Weak verbs appear vague in essays. Therefore, to the maximum extent possible employ strong verbs only in college essays. Strong verbs are often descriptive and indeed state the action or state of being.

6. Use of Clichés: Clichés are phrases that are used again and again. They should not be used in an essay. If employed, they most often lose the point for which they are used. Use of clichés shows that the writer is not creative enough to employ novel constructions. Therefore, it does not serve any purpose in an essay.

An essay should be interesting, informative and at the same time entertaining for the readers. A paragraph should focus on one main point and each sentence should convey one single meaning. Do not employ complex constructions unnecessarily in an essay. Ambiguity and abstract usages do not enrich an essay. Instead, the concept should be clearly mentioned to the readers. It is, in fact, the responsibility of the writer to say what he has to say in an intelligible manner.

Author Bio: James Smith is a dissertation mentor at Bestdissertationwriting.net, an online source to seek help from experts to write about popular dissertation topics

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Survival Tips When Studying Abroad

            Studying in a foreign country can be difficult in many respects, especially when learning different educational styles and cultures of any new country. Many students, who go to American or European countries for their higher studies find themselves in a difficult situation resulting from high prices. Students rarely have money to throw around, so living in a new country with a different cost of living can be challenging. Some students can just ask their parents for money, but others want to feel responsible for themselves and have the satisfaction of knowing that their hard work paid off. It is possible to get by with some good planning and budgeting as a student in a foreign country. Here are some ideas for students who want to study abroad without going completely broke.

1. Go For a Program that Offer Part Time Courses

            There are a number of universities that offer both full time and part time courses. You might register as a full time student, but a shortage of money can force you to take a part time job. If you are enrolled in a university that does not permit a part time degree, then you will be forced to either quit your education or switch to a different university, which can be expensive. Therefore, it is important that you select a university that permits students to hold a part time job so that you can earn some extra money without risking your education.

Try not to get distracted abroad!  Flickr: Simo0082

2. Hostel Rooms versus Hotel Rooms and Apartments

            There are a few choices of for student housing, when you go to a foreign country and have no relatives there. You can either live in the university dorm rooms, you can rent a hotel room/hostel, or you can rent an apartment. Renting a hotel room for a long time will be very expensive, so don’t do it. Finding an apartment can also be expensive, but if you have some friends or classmates to split the cost with, this could be a great option. A third option is staying in university housing or dorms. A recent survey shows that the average cost of dorm rooms in American schools is three times that of an ordinary apartment with sufficient facilities. I recommend that as soon as you land in a new country you start searching for a safe area where you can get a cheap apartment. Then move into it when you have some roommates, so that the total living cost can be distributed.

3. Focus on Study

            Many students that go abroad for their studies end up being waiters or cashiers to earn some extra money. They are not able to find a good job or complete their studies because they ignore their education. There are so many places to go and things to see that it is easy to forget you are actually still in school. If a student gets an "F" on his report card, he risks losing scholarships and financial aid at home. Although traveling and working a part time job might seem appealing, it should never be placed over the value of education.

4. Proper Consultancy

            Students who arrive in a foreign country with the assistance of education consultants are often ignorant of market conditions and other relevant details of the country. A student studying in Canada might leave his Masters' degree program because he was unable to cope with the freezing temperatures. This is a problem that should have been identified early on in the selection process to make the most of an abroad experience. You should know what the job market looks like and how to become a resident of any country where you study. Students need to do a lot of initial research to make the most of their time abroad.

5. Language Barrier

            You cannot go to a war without the necessary weapons. Likewise you cannot easily survive in a foreign country without knowing the language. In Germany, many universities offer courses in English, but it is still essential to learn German in order to survive in the country. Although a large percentage of the country speaks English, life is easier if you speak German. People you meet on the street will speak German and the default language will be whatever natives speak. To get a full experience from your time abroad, you should at least try to learn the language of the country.

Author Bio:-  Katherine brunt  has been writing in the field of education and student assistance since 4 years from the platform of Assignment Box, and is eager to help students at different stages in their educational and professional careers through her informative Blogs. 

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5 Underlying Causes Of Monday Blues And Their Solutions!

The hangover of the weekend fun isn’t over yet, and you want to remain in that groove a little more. However, the tinkling sound of your alarm clock just does not let you snooze for even a minute more. At last, you reluctantly wake up and do the preparations. You rush to the loo, put on your uniform, pack your bag and hit your school.

By the time you reach college, you already feel fatigued and lazy. You have missed your breakfast, and now you have to go through six hours of intense studies. You have to force your eyes to remain open so that you can concentrate on your work. This feeling of weariness just makes you go insane and compels you to flee from the classroom.

Monday mornings are always a nightmare – technically speaking, it is a “Daymare” – for students. After all the fun on weekend, they have to prepare for the usual affairs of classes and studies. No wonder there is a higher ratio of students who bunk classes on Monday.  However, if Monday blues is something that you are battling with every week, then the following guidelines will help you fight it better:

Partying Late Makes Waking Up Monday Difficult!  Flickr: Jirka_Matousek

1.     Resist The Urge To Stay Awake Late On Weekends

Cause: Students often hangout on Weekends, till late night, and have a blast. The ecstasy of partying keeps them awake till the wee hours. In an attempt to vent out all their stress, they forget that they have other commitments as well.

Solution: Monday is the first day of the week and if you ruin it with your last night adventures, then you are actually messing up your whole week. While weekend is a good opportunity to relax and chill out, it does not do any good if you stay awake till 2 am. The 4-5 hours of sleep that you get after staying up late is enough to cause your Monday Blues. Therefore, you should go to bed an hour earlier than your usual routine so that you can avoid the sleep deficit caused by the late night hangouts.

2.     Make a Plan

Cause: Without planning and organization, students often wreck their whole weekend. Due to lack of planning, they fail to do their work or chores systematically and thus delay things till late night. Ultimately, they wake late at night and ruin their Monday morning.

Solution: Students who plan their Sundays are able to manage both their life and studies better than the couch potatoes. Make your plans a day before Sunday and set the time table. A strategic planning will help you accomplish your tasks in a timely manner and avoid postponing the things until midnight.

3.     Have a Nutrition-Rich Breakfast

Cause: Many students skip the breakfast in a hurry to catch their class. Ultimately, they feel tired and sleepy during their lectures and lose the focus on their studies.

Solution: Skipping the breakfast is the ultimate blow to your studies. If your brain takes time to wake up and if you have constant bouts of drowsiness, then hopping your morning meal is the worst thing you can do on the Monday. Get a nutritious breakfast and have some hot coffee to stimulate your mind and soul. With a healthy breakfast, you will feel more energized to start your day.

4.     Wake Up Early

Cause: Many students who complain about Monday blues have a habit of waking up late. They tend to stay late and wake up early, when the Sun is out. Consequently, they feel less motivated for the studies and take their class in the state of sleepiness.

Solution: Students who wake up late often delay the things and disturb their entire work cycle of the week. Avoid the temptation of waking up late on Monday and instead hop out of your bed a few minutes earlier. This will help you arrange your things in advance and thus you will able to enjoy your day and work energetically. You can use this time sorting out your assignment or preparing the notes. In this way, you will feel more relaxed and motivated for the classes.

5.     Organize Your Tasks For Monday

Cause: Mostly students mess their Mondays due to their lack of organization. Students stack loads of work of the previous week for the Monday. So, when they start their work, they first have to tackle the work from last week and then proceed to the current week’s task, which is quite hectic. Ultimately, they feel an exaggerated feeling of anxiety and stress in the form of Monday blues.

Solution: Students can alleviate their Monday Blues by organizing their entire task before the weekend. In this way, they feel more energized and activated when Monday arrives. Always do your work on time and never leave anything for the next day or week, for that matter.

About the Author: Alastair Trot possesses considerable experience in the ed-tech world and takes pleasure in assisting both learners and educators with his exceptional expertise. He’s currently serving writingkingdom.co.uk and you can contact him on Twitter.

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Moving into a Dorm: What Should it Cost?

If you're planning on staying at a dorm when attending college, you don't want to just show up empty handed.  While a dorm room does have the basics like a bed frame, a desk and bathroom, you're going to find out that you're going to need a lot of things to feel like you're at home.

Depending on what you need to survive, here are the basics that you're going to need, along with the price --

Accessories

To make your dorm room feel like home, you're going to need a lot of little items that you may have never thought of in the first place.  These items include:  a floor lamp, area rug, fan, wall art and even speakers to play music.

Depending on what you need to make your dorm room feel like home, plan on budgeting at least $200 to buy your lamps, rugs and art.

Bathroom

Most dorm rooms will have a community bathroom on each floor.  While you're not going to be keep your items in there all the time, it's recommended to keep a duffel bag filled with your belongings to make your showering as easy possible.  In your bag, you should have a few towels, a sponge, toothbrush, hand dryer, robe, shaver, soap and shampoo.

 Most of the time, you should be able to buy all of your bathroom materials for less than $100 or so.

Eating

Even though most dorms won't have a kitchen, it doesn't mean you won't be able to cook.  Basic eating items that you should have will include: plates, cups, eating utensils, a travel mug, water pitcher, coffeemaker, microwave, electric kettle and refrigerator.   However, before you buy a microwave or refrigerator, make sure that your college allow these things inside the dorm.  Many colleges put restrictions on what's allow in the dorm.

Most of your kitchen necessities, such as utensils and plates, can be found at the local dollar store.  Your microwave and refrigerator, on the other hand, could cost around $150 to $300 each, depending on your personal tastes.

Decorating a dorm cheaply. Photo: Flickr borman818

Laundry

Like the bathroom, most dorms will have a laundry room on designated floors.  Your laundry supplies should include: a laundry basket, hamper, detergent, drying rack, iron and ironing board.

With your laundry supplies, plan on budgeting around $150.

Organization

Since you won't want a messy dorm, you're going to want the right tools to keep your room organized.  Basic organization tools that you should consider are underbed storage containers, shoe storage, hangers, closet organizers, a storage trunk, duffle bag.

Depending on how much storage you're going to need, plan on spending at least $20 to $30 per storage container.  Usually, $100 to $200 should be more than enough for your storage needs.

Sleeping

Most dorm rooms will have a bed frame, but some won't include the mattress.  If you're unsure, call up your college to see what's included in the dorm.  When it comes to sleeping, you will need pillows, a mattress pad, a topper, covers, sheets, a blanket and don't forget the alarm clock.

Depending on your personal tastes, it will cost anywhere from $200 to $300 to buy most of your sleeping supplies.

Study

Since most of your time is going to be related to school work, it's important that you have everything you need to study properly.  These items will include:  a desk lamp, wastebasket, laptop desk, a book light and a dry erase board.  Like the mattress, some dorm rooms may already have desks built in the dorm.  Again, if you don't know if a desk will be in your room, check with the college ahead of time.

Most of the time, your basic study items will cost up to $150 or so.

Final Costs

As you can see, moving into a dorm isn't going to be cheap.  By using our estimates alone, you should be prepared to spend up to $1,500 to $2,000 to buy everything that you need to successfully move into your dorm.  If this number sounds high to you, there are some things that you can do in order to save, including:

·       Talk with your roommate and see what they are bringing.

·       Go to your local dollar store.  Many of these items can be found here.

·       Buy used.  Check out Craigslist or eBay for good deals.

Stephanie Lynch works with How Much Is It? -- a resource that has more than 4,500 cost helping guides.  If you need to know the price of anything, you can find it here.  Feel free to reach out to her on Twitter @howmuchforit

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Tips to Help Freshmen Adjust to College Life

Going off to college for the first time brings about a variety of emotions among freshmen. The range of emotion often starts with excitement, since most if not all teenagers cannot wait until such time to get away from their parents. The independence and freedom it affords can be quite intoxicating. The other perks that freshman year brings about are the opportunity to meet new people and to stay up late from partying all night long. However, college life is not all about parties. And, a freshman who is unable to cope with the changes and work required may crumble from the pressure.

According to psychology experts, the adjustment period of most freshmen typically involves a five-stage process. Living on campus is fascinating for students during their first year away from home. At this point, the level of excitement is high. However, as time passes and classes get going, many start to experience severe bouts of homesickness. Quite often, this feeling of melancholy leads to the third stage of adjustment. At this point, a freshman may become critical and start finding fault with everything.   

Adjusting to College: Stockvault

But in due time, a student will eventually find the humor as he or she goes through the process. In realizing the funny side of the situation, a freshman is able to embrace college life for all its positives and negatives. Consequently, everything falls into place. 

Professionals offer the following tips to help freshmen on how to deal with college life and eventually survive their first year away from home.

1.     Be sure to attend classes. Without any doubt, attendance in class is a must. Though college may offer a certain degree of freedom, it does not give a freshman the right to skip class without a justified reason.

2.     Get to class on time. If college should teach young adults anything, it would be punctuality. Keep in mind that professors do not take kindly to students who waste their time by coming into class after the lecture has started.

3.     Practice time management. The ability to manage one’s time in college can give a freshman the advantage necessary to stay on top of the semester. It would be a good idea to buy an agenda book to jot down schedules. Fortunately, in today’s technology savvy world, keeping schedules can easily be done with an app installed on a mobile device.

4.     Ask for help. Though it may be intimidating to approach other people particularly faculty personnel or staff at a university, they are there to help. Just remember to ask nicely.

5.     Forget the rat race. College life is not about competing with other students to get the higher grade. Comparing oneself to others can only lead to feelings of inferiority that can intensify stress.  Rather, it is best to focus on building one’s own abilities and strengths to help get through the first year with flying colors.

6.     Loneliness is expected. The sudden awareness of being alone for the first time often hits many freshmen after a few weeks into the semester. Feelings of isolation often become worse during exams when the pressure builds up. Remember to seek out help from friends and to check out resources available to students on campus like a guidance counselor. Be sure to check the college catalog to be familiar with the services available to students.

7.     Remember to eat healthy. Avoid the convenience of having fast food meals on a daily basis. Though these meals are handy for a busy freshman to eat on the go, it does not provide the necessary nutrients in the long run. Try to learn cooking a few simple recipes from home. Not only would this be healthy, but it is also a good way to reconnect with family.

8.     Be smart when socializing. A good way to safely meet others on campus is to join an organization. Membership also helps boost credentials after college.

9.     Stay positive. Even when the blues hit, it is important to maintain an optimistic attitude about matters. Wallowing in depression only makes things worse.

College life is meant to be fun and exciting but at the same time challenging and difficult. Rather than rebuff these emotions it is best to embrace these with an open mind. Be brave and enjoy the challenge it brings. 

 By: May Ann

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How to Resist Temptations in College

College education can possibly be the last stage of learning that a student will go through which is why they should concentrate even more on giving their best so that they'll be able to graduate without too much hassle. However, college is also the phase where the quality of education is at its highest setting which can put a lot of stress and pressure for a student which would certainly leave them exhausted and drained of energy on a daily basis. It's pretty normal for students to go through that experience because college education demands it which is why it should be taken seriously. However, they could develop some serious problems or habits if they continue to find themselves in this state.

Being in a physically and mentally exhausted state most of the time can lead to something worse such as losing interest in studying altogether. Like the saying goes "All work and no play makes you a dull person" and due to the stress and fatigue they're experiencing at school, they might be tempted to do the opposite.

Temptations are normally experienced by people and we are very prone to it and students are definitely not an exception. We can't help it if we easily succumb to temptations most of the time because after all, it's in our nature as human beings. To be honest, everything else other than academics seems much more interesting to do when we're studying and we're most likely to do it just to escape our responsibilities as students. Every student is aware that college isn't just a place for learning, but it's also the place where parties and other distractions takes place which of course can be very hard to resist.

Diverting your attention to other things aside from academics can really have major effects on your study habits in a negative manner. Procrastination and laziness are just some of the byproducts of giving in to temptations which you should prevent or else, you'll be forced to suffer bad grades and performance at school. As a student, you'll have to make sure that you'll be able to accomplish your goals without any form of distractions. It'll be a tough battle for you, but you can triumph over it with a little bit of effort on your part

With the help of these tips, I'm sure you'll be able to resist any form of temptations that comes your way.

Resisting Temptations in College: Stockvault

Set your priorities

Remember that as long as you are a student, you'll have study in order to learn. You're not in college to spend most of your days wasting it on anything that isn't related to academics. Balance is the primary key towards a healthy social life and academic performance, but studying comes always comes first of course.

Avoid getting bored

Admit it, studying is boring and for that very reason alone can make you put your attention elsewhere. Boredom is one of the greatest factors of distractions and this trait can be found in most students. While studying may be not as interesting as browsing social media websites or hanging out with friends, you'll have to change your study habits for the better. Here are a few things you could do to make shake things up a bit.

Don't get carried away. Learn to take a break especially if you're spending too much time on it.

1) Always use shortcuts. For example, if you're writing an assignment and have to read about it, why not try browsing the Internet for a change? It's certainly much faster and efficient than getting a book from the library then reading about it.

2) Study in a place where you're comfortable. It's definitely much more interesting to study when you're cozy instead of studying in place where you're feeling uneasy.

3) Join or create a group study session. That way, you could enjoy the company of your friends while learning.

4) Distract yourself with other distractions

Getting distracted isn't all that bad because there are a few types of distractions that boosts your performance and interest at studying. Listening to music for example, is very popular among students because it can help you relax and focus on the task at hand. It's so effective, that a lot of students use it all the time. Like stated earlier, boredom is one of the main reasons of developing poor study habits which is why you should distract yourself with something that would allow you to continue studying.

Find it's cause

We would only be tempted to do anything if there would be something that would trigger it in the first place which of course you have to be aware of in order to avoid it. There are a lot of possibilities that could serve as a trigger and here are some of the most common ones.

1) Frustration with the way things are going for you.
2) Lack of confidence
3) Failure
4) Feeling down

Work on having the willpower to overcome these things and most likely, you'll be more successful at straying away from temptations.

Academics is pretty important in your life and always remember that. Keep in mind that there's always a time and place for having fun and you should guarantee that it wouldn't interfere with your studies because that would generate a lot of problems for you in the future. Always have the will, determination and patience to shun any form of distractions so that you could easily make your way through graduation.


Author Bio: Sophia Jennings is a college student who also happens to be a writer for a uk essay writing company which serves as her part-time job. Like any other college student, she experiences the common problems that her peers goes through which is why she shares some of her views through other people in anyway possible.

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Tips for Traveling Europe Alone

Whether you’re in need of seclusion or just want to do things your way, a solo trip to Europe is a great way to unwind. Traveling alone gives you the freedom to change your itinerary at a moment’s notice and – without a traveling companion – you’ll find yourself making new friends along the way.

Following are some important tips on traveling throughout Europe on your own.

Before you leave

Before you leave for Europe, carefully map out your destinations, making sure to read reviews and forums on hotels, tours and attractions recommended by other solo travelers. When you travel alone, you don’t have a companion who can help you keep an eye on your luggage in public places, so it’s best to travel light. Pack your clothing and necessities in a large backpack, and keep your cash, credit cards, insurance card, identification and travel documents in a money belt or pouch, underneath your clothing.

Photo: Stockvault

It’s also important to seek advice from your doctor during a check-up before you leave. If you take a prescription medication regularly, ask your doctor for a note that describes the medication you take, so you can present that information at the airport if you run into any problems getting your medicine through customs. You also should get medical insurance designed specifically for travel. HCC Medical Insurance offers policies for international travelers, and coverage includes emergency evacuation.

You’ll be spending a lot of time alone, so bring a journal along. Make entries in your journal often, so you have a record of what you did on your trip. And take plenty of pictures, too.

Stay safe

Plenty of people have traversed Europe alone without incident, and as long as you keep your wits about you, you should have a safe trip. When traveling alone, you should:

• Dress like a European. When you travel alone, you don’t want to call attention to yourself. So leave the flashy neon Nikes and purple skinny jeans at home, as flashy colors and athletic apparel are two clues that you’re a tourist. Wear neutral colors, khakis and hiking or walking shoes.

• Be alert in busy, crowded places. Pickpockets thrive in crowded environments. If you’re carrying a bag, wear the strap across your body.

• Limit your alcohol consumption. It’s fine to enjoy a couple of cocktails on your trip, but you become a target for thieves if you are obviously intoxicated.

• Find a buddy. If you’re planning to do something adventurous – like rock climbing or bungee jumping – do so through a reputable company, and ask in advance if you can be paired with an instructor or partner. If you can’t find a partner, don’t engage in any activity that could put you at risk for injury.

• Make sure someone back home knows where you are. Before you leave for your trip, talk to a friend or relative about your travel plans and discuss when you’ll be calling to check in with that person.  

Traveling alone is a great way to get to know yourself better. And if you start feeling lonely, strike up a conversation with someone – maybe you’ll run into another solo traveler like yourself! 

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