It is travel season for University of South Carolina admissions representatives! My first week of “travel” was Nashville’s college fair week and it was extremely busy. Nashville’s college fairs are no joke and it was quite the way to jump into the position. I loved seeing how many people were truly interested in the university and getting to speak with them. Everyone asked such great questions that I had to go home to research and follow up with them.
I felt much more confident in my answers and presentations during my second week of travel in Memphis and Chattanooga. However, being away from home the whole week taught me many new lessons of their own. So here are some tips I learned from my second week on the road.
- Do not drive straight from Memphis to Chattanooga, you basically drive all the way to Nashville then back down
- Hilton has better beds and free cookies
- Particularly for my job, it makes more sense to stay at hotels in the suburbs rather than downtown
- Find hotels with free parking
- Packing snacks is so essential! Protein balls, apples and popcorn are my favorite
- You don’t need to pack as many workout clothes as you think
- Portable chargers the size of bricks are not needed
- Always carry gum, lipstick, sunglasses, reading glasses and water
- Pack way more materials and brochures than you think
- Always bring slippers, hair towel wraps and your own soap to make the hotel feel like home
- Use mobile check in for the hotel
- Try to have all of your travel back to back, having long breaks to do admin work disrupts your social / hospitable flow for events.
- Use industry discounts every chance you can
- Always park under a lamp and close to the hotel
- Never book through a third party, even a credit card travel portal because you won’t get the hotel loyalty perks, the room must be paid up front, you can’t use company discounts and it makes getting a receipt very difficult.
- Buy a portable door lock for extra hotel security
- Staying on top of your daily supplements is super important
- Eat at as many local restaurants as possible
- Keep makeup and favorite products in a travel bag at all times so you don’t have to repack it
- Explore the area! Bonus points if it’s outside
- Download a variety of podcasts before long drives
- Ask for an itemized receipt when you check out
- Use long drives as time to call and catch up with loved ones
- Pack vitamin C, cough drops, and tea for sore throats after long days of talking
- Don’t waste your time with a cute purse or laptop bag, a backpack is much more practical
- Always leave an hour before when you are expected to be there
- Make friends with other college reps and go to coffee or dinner together!
Those are my biggest takeaways for now! I’ll be recruiting in Nashville for a few weeks before I’m back on the road. If you have any good travel advice for me please share!
