By Jasmine Burke, Wellbeing Editor
Wellbeing Editor, Jasmine Burke looks back on her experience travelling with friends and recommends the best ways to avoid arguments
Whether it's The Hangover, Girls Trip or Sex in The City 2, we have all seen iterations of group holidays in one way or another. However, they never turn out quite as glamorous – or in the case of some movies, insanely messy – as the movies depict them. In fact, if you are not careful, you can end up broke, angry and resentful of the people you once called ‘friends’.
I have travelled with my friends in various combinations now, from groups as small as 4 to as big as 9. They have all had their fair share of ups and downs and though I am by no means an expert, I have been able to figure out what works for me and what does not. Therefore, I thought I may as well compose a list of things to do when travelling with friends.
Photo by Epigram / Jasmine Burke
1) Lay out your goals for the holiday while you are still in the planning stage
A holiday to Greece may sound cute and wholesome to some, but like the perfect opportunity for cheap alcohol and free club entry to others. Avoid arguments by laying out your goals before you pay any money.
Bigger groups clearly have an advantage here. When I went on holiday with 9 of my friends, we were able to break off into smaller groups when we could not all agree on what to do. However, the smaller your group, the more likely you have to do everything together.
2) Discuss a budget and try to stick to it
It is very rare to find a group of friends that are all in the exact same financial position as you. Therefore, the best thing to do is to set a rough budget before you head out there, so you all know the kind of prices you are looking for.
Obviously, you can do this in advance with hotels and flights, but it becomes a little trickier with spending money. Try and set a rough group budget when it comes to activities and the rough price of restaurants. Then, what you choose to personally spend on souvenirs or shopping is up to you. Also, if you decide from the start to pay for what you order rather than just splitting the bill evenly in restaurants, you can all set your own budgets for food as well.
Ultimately, if you are travelling together you clearly are quite close to begin with. It would be horrible to let one or two weeks destroy everything you have built as friends.
3) Bring headphones or a book – something that allows you to be antisocial
Yes, the main aim of a group holiday is to spend time with your friends. However, let’s be real, we all like a little alone time. If you are anything like me and do not fair well with being surrounded by people 24/7, pack something that allows you to step away. Whacking in a pair of headphones or hiding your face with a book is the perfect non-aggressive way of saying ‘Please don’t talk to me right now’.
4) Bring playing cards
When you are feeling bored or lethargic, it can be nice to sit around and play some sort of card game. If your friends are anything like mine, it ends up a competitive battle to the death, which is always incredibly entertaining. Additionally, they work as a great way to waste time when you are stuck in the airport waiting for your flight.
Photo by Epigram / Jasmine Burke
5) Try to let things go
Ultimately, if you are travelling together you clearly are quite close to begin with. It would be horrible to let one or two weeks destroy everything you have built as friends. When you are stuck with people in a foreign situation, of course things are going to start getting on your nerves. However, the more you can let go, the better.
If you are stuck in a foreign country with only a few friends, the last thing you want is a passive aggressively hostile environment that you cannot escape from and if you bitch to your family back at home or sulk about the situation for the rest of the night, you will end up making it a bigger deal in your head than it needs to be. The quicker that you can just accept that your friend does annoying things and let it roll off your back, the more at piece you will be on your holiday.
If you can get on the plane home and smile at the good parts, then it has been a pretty successful holiday, if you ask me.
6) Focus on the good
At risk of sounding cheesy, have fun and enjoy yourself! You are in an amazing place with people that you love – or at least, people that you love enough to lock yourself in a hotel with – soak up all the memories that you can!
Take those cheesy selfies and bikini pictures that everyone likes to make fun of, push yourself out of your comfort zone or lie by a pool day in and day out. There will probably be arguments, and there will probably be endless eye rolls, but if you can get on the plane home and smile at the good parts, then it has been a pretty successful holiday, if you ask me.
*Featured Image: Epigram / Jasmine Burke
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