By: Hana Tilksew
If you’ve sworn off girls’ trips, chances are that you’ve been traumatized by a trip that went wrong. Falling out with your friends on trips seems to be a pretty common occurrence, but it doesn’t have to be. Don’t force yourself to stay home all summer to avoid any girls’ trip drama. Instead, take some action to make sure any trip you do go on ends with everyone still liking each other.
Get On The Same Page Before Leaving
The biggest cause of conflict on a trip is when two people have completely different ideas of what the trip was supposed to be like. Before you even step foot inside a car or plane, everyone who’s coming along should have a clear idea of 1) where you’re going, 2) where you’re staying, and 3) what you’ll be doing. Doing your best to avoid miscommunication in this area will minimize arguments from the get-go.
Be Considerate Toward Your Friends
You get what you give. If you want your friends to be considerate of your wants and needs on the trip, you need to be considerate of theirs. Friendship is a two-way street, and you can’t expect more from other people than you’re willing to give yourself.
So if your friend wants to do an activity you don’t feel that strongly about or try a restaurant that’s not your top choice, be willing to compromise from time to time. Remember: you’re not the only one trying to have fun.
Speak Up For Yourself
Being considerate doesn’t mean being a doormat. If something is really bothering you, or if you feel like you’re the only compromising, you should be willing to advocate for yourself. Letting your resentment bottle up instead of communicating with your friends is a great way to guarantee that it’ll come out later — in a not-so-nice way.
If you want to avoid any emotional breakdowns that could axe a friendship, try to make your needs heard as soon as you feel them. Communication is easier and more effective when you’re not bringing a bunch of prior angst into the conversation.
Let The Little Things Go
It can be easy to take every little thing your friend does as a huge offense against you. It’s even easier when you’re all in close quarters with each other for an extended amount of time. She left her suitcase on top of mine! She left her makeup on my side of the sink! She got Cokes for everyone when she knows I prefer Sprite!
But if you let every little accidental slip-up make you look at your friend sideways, you won’t even be able to enjoy their company. When you look back at this trip in a few years, you won’t remember whether everyone kept their stuff on their assigned side of the hotel room, or if someone spilled soda in someone else’s car. What you will remember are the memories of having fun together, so stay positive and focus on that.
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