As people are about to go on winter break or get time off for the holidays, they are going to start traveling. This is always a very hectic time for a lot of people. Weather, amongst other things cause places to not being able to keep up with the sudden influx of people.
Some of these delays have already happened to people traveling for Thanksgiving. In places like Michigan, people faced winter weather warnings.
This caused some cars to slide off the road and create accidents. The New York Times called it a hazardous condition to travel in. These conditions are expected to be seen during holiday travels as well. So delays are expected to occur.
Even before Thanksgiving, news sites like Reuters were already predicting record levels of travel. That was even before holiday travel and that number is expected to be greater.
Two students here at Westerville North have already or are planning to travel. They have different experiences with travel.
Jack Anzur (2025) recently traveled for Thanksgiving. He traveled to Michigan to see his grandparents for Thanksgiving. “It went very well. We saw a few cars that spun out in the snow,” Anzur said. Anzur did not travel in the areas considered to be hazardous. However the area he was in still saw the effects of the weather.
Cameron Shoup (2025) is planning on traveling for winter break to New York City. “I think we will see a lot of accidents but are staying away from accident prone areas,” Shoup said. This is Shoup’s first time going to NYC during this time as his family “wants to experience NYC at this time of year,” Shoup said.
Meanwhile, this is not Anzur’s first time traveling to Michigan for Thanksgiving. “It went the same as normal. We did not experience anything that we didn’t see before so we knew what to expect when going,” Anzur said. His family planned around things that they have encountered previous times staying away from very accident prone areas from years before. One of those areas being one with hazardous conditions.
Jessica Kashary, recently started planning her own trips around the world. “Never plan for important stuff right when you get there or the next morning,” Kashary said. Travel days are often considered as bonus days because of flight delays causing unexpected arrivals and departures.
She also has some tips to stay safe during your travels as well as the best time to leave. Kashary’s big tips are to get your head out of your phone and to be alert of your surroundings. “You do not know who could be around you at any time. Also if you travel to a different country people will steal right out of your hand, buy a man purse if necessary. RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) blocking wallets also help a lot,” Kashary said.
The best time to travel is on the day of the holiday as most people will already be at their destination. If you travel before, beware that is when you will experience the most delays and problems with people, luggage and weather.
Kashary mentions that the most important thing that you should do is make sure to check the status of your flight according. Also check your connecting flights if necessary. You don’t want to be stuck in a city because you didn’t look at the status of your connecting flight.
Kashary also stated to plan far in advance. She recommended one week for domestic trips, one month for international trips. She recently planned a trip to Argentina for four months.
When planning, always keep in mind her tips about staying safe and the best time to travel. Especially during the holidays
