Why Your Travel Expectations May Ruin the Experience
It’s best not to have an expectation when you go on a trip. You can get excited, but you should learn how to control yourself. You’re heading towards a disappointing trip if you have heightened expectations.
You will never be satisfied
When you have high hopes for the trip, the opposite might happen. The places don’t look as good as they were in the photos. You’ve also seen vloggers trying to hype up the place and it didn’t live up to your expectations. While this is common, it’s also possible that your expectations are met. The problem is you might have hoped to see more. Either way, setting expectations will only ruin your experience. You better keep an open mind and let things flow.
It can be too crowded
If you’re excited to visit a popular destination, you should manage your expectations. It’s called popular for a reason. There might be fascinating photos online, but taking them wasn’t easy. Given the number of people dying to see the place in person, expect it to be packed. You might not even get a decent selfie. Worse, the space is too narrow and you can’t move comfortably at all. If your children are around, it’s even more challenging.
Your expectations are shaped by social media
Your expectations are a result of several factors, but mostly by social media. People tell you what they experienced during the trip. They seemed happy about the destination. The truth is their experiences might not necessarily be satisfying. They pretended to be happy for the sake of their social media posts. Some places also have excellent marketing strategies. They make people believe that these destinations are better than they really are. Hence, setting expectations with the aid of social media will most likely end in a disaster.
The feeling may not be the same
You hope to feel a certain way upon visiting a place. When you see the pictures, everything looks out of this world. Upon arrival, you failed to have the same emotions. You try your best to have that impression, but you can’t. Even if the place looks good, you will still be disappointed.
Some factors are beyond your control
Not everything will be perfect during the trip. It might suddenly rain and you can’t visit outdoor areas anymore. The traffic might be terrible and you will miss your slot. Anything can happen and you will be frustrated since you’ve already pictured everything out. If you let go of expectations, these sudden changes won’t matter. You will think of something else to do since your original plan is no longer going to work.
There’s nothing wrong in researching about the places you wish to visit. You can read reviews, browse social media pictures, or ask people who have been there before. It’s only a problem if you have certain expectations about how the trip will be. If not met, you might not like going on a trip again.
Photo Attribution:
1st and featured image from https://www.choicehotels.com/cms/images/choice-hotels/pace/hero-explore-travel-problems-frustrated/hero-explore-travel-problems-frustrated.jpg
2nd image from https://www.immihelp.com/vacation-expectations-can-ruin-your-trip-seven-ways-to-avoid-them/
