As many countries are slowly easing their Covid regulations, going abroad on a short trip has become easier. After two years of pandemic-related regulations, the new opportunities to travel have not gone unnoticed, and these past few months have seen a resurgence among young adults, of the phenomenon of short escapades into foreign countries.
Many studies, including one carried out by Harvard University, have shown that the demographic of the late teens has been hit especially strongly by the pandemic, whether in terms of college or job opportunities, or with regard to their mental health. One study reports, for example, that by the end of 2020, the number of young people between the age of 18 and 25 having reported feeling lonely ‘part of the time’ since the beginning of Coronavirus was nearly twice as many as in the 60+ age group.
Stressed by their never-ending online workdays, many young adults, students in particular, are negatively affected by the record amount of time they spent alone, sitting in front of their screen. Thus, when the occasion presents itself to flee their routine and explore another country, they leap at the chance.
If the study cited above applies to you, or if you simply are victim of a little seasonal depression, here is your push to seize the opportunity and take a brief trip to discover some of the countries surrounding you.
You can travel on a budget. Because of the pandemic, airlines did not manage to fill their flights for a prolonged period of time; some companies including Ryanair, decided to sell tickets at very affordable prices. And who would pass up on the opportunity to take a round trip over a weekend, all for the modest sum of £30?
As you might have guessed, I jumped at the opportunity; I just put my hypothesis to the test by spending a (unfortunately too short) weekend in Budapest.
Worries and work left behind, for the short duration of my getaway (though all transport time remains set aside for study purposes!), I took the bus to the airport.
What really struck me is the evident increase in the number of short trips by late teens. It really hit me when I noticed that ¾ of the airport bus was filled with young adults, ranging from 18 years old to late 20s, and traveling with either a ridiculously small suitcase or a backpack.
And my hypothesis was confirmed still further upon arrival in Budapest. Saturday evening, the lively districts of Budapest were animated by a population at least 50% composed of young tourists (the majority of which appearing to be British and Spanish). This article in mind, I went up to some groups and inquired about the duration of their stays. The answer was unanimous: a weekend, or for the lucky ones, a three or four day stay.
This made our trip all the more fun, as in the span of our two-day visit to the city, we ran several times into the same groups of young travelers, providing us with a dose of social encounters of the kind we had lacked during the many lockdowns of the past two years.
Conclusion, ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ and so should you! Take a break, buy that ticket and get away for a few days. Before that, however, take a moment to read my next blog, providing you with the essentials for a short stay in the beautiful Hungarian capital.
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