wellness tips

Travel jitters:
How to manage travel anxiety before your trip

Barbara Kamholz | March 25, 2025

Travel brings new experiences, but it can also bring some anxiety. Having the right tools to manage those feelings will help you focus on what truly matters—learning, exploring, and enjoying the journey.

Barbara Kamholz, PhD, is the Director of Behavioural Health at EF Education First. She is board-certified in behavioural and cognitive psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). She joined EF in 2022 after 20 years as a public health leader, social justice advocate, educator, and clinical psychologist—and she’s got a lot to say about travel anxiety and mental health.

This three-part series written by Barbara was adapted for our EF Tours Canada travellers. This month, we’re focusing on how to navigate travel anxiety before your trip. Next month, we’re looking at how to deal with anxiety during travel, and after that, we’ll discuss how to handle anxiety after your trip.

How to prepare for travel when you’re feeling anxious

Embarking on a trip abroad can stir up a whirlwind of emotions. From the excitement of new places to the uncertainty of the unknown, these feelings are a normal part of the travel experience. This guide will provide you with strategies to cope with travel stress and challenging emotions before your adventure.

Does this sound like you?  

“I’m nervous to leave home, and I’m overwhelmed with everything I have to do beforehand—homework, packing, chores. I don’t know if I want to go anymore... I can’t do this!”
 
Or

“I feel so anxious the day of my departure. I’m panicking! What if something goes wrong?”
 
Take a beat.

Even when they’re unpleasant, emotions give us important information. You’re anxious about a big trip? That makes perfect sense—anxiety tells us that something is important to us and we don’t know how it’ll turn out. If you tend to get anxious about things (and who doesn’t?) or have had a “meh” travel experience in the past, your fears may be bigger, and that’s okay.

Fortunately, there are strategies you can use to manage travel stress and anxiety before a trip.

Remind yourself that anxiety is just information and humans experience it for a reason.

Try to notice what’s happening when you feel travel anxiety and stress. Anxiety and panic may feel bad, but they’re not dangerous. These reactions mobilize humans for action when we’re under threat. They are part of the fight-or-flight system that was designed to get us in gear to respond to serious danger (threat).

Unfortunately, our bodies sometimes interpret something unknown as something dangerous. So that same fight-or-flight system can be triggered by uncertainty (say, a big trip with a bunch of people we might not know very well!), even though it’s not actually a threat at all. Understanding this stress response can help you deal with anxiety before travelling with a better level of self-awareness.

Check in with someone you trust.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed and panicked by something that seemed like a great idea just a few months ago (like travelling abroad), check in with someone you trust.

Do they agree that there’s a big problem?

That you’ll be away from your family members or that the trip will be awful?

Or do they see ways to manage the situation, and think you had it right the first time—that this is something you want to do, even if you’re having some anxiety or second guessing it now?

Prepare.

Think about what you can do to set yourself up for the best experience possible. That means packing for a smooth experience (remember weather- and activity-appropriate clothes) and bringing any supplies or support you need. Talk to your Group Leader—they may have a list of packing recommendations.

If you use an app to help manage your mental health, make sure it will work on your smartphone overseas. Check out the apps MindShift CBT: Anxiety Relief and Calm, and download them prior to your tour, even if you don't think you'll use them.

If you see a therapist, talk with them about useful strategies for travel and emergency planning.

If you take medications, be sure to pack them in your carry-on luggage and talk to your doctor about how to maintain the right dosage schedule during time zone and altitude changes. Make sure to share relevant health details with your Group Leader, including medications. You can also talk to your friends or family at home about how to best touch base if you need support while you’re away.

Check your expectations.

Expect a great experience, and also expect the unexpected. Some things will be better than you ever imagined, while other things may be different than what you envisioned. The point of your trip is to have fun, learn, and grow. It’s all part of the experience. Approaching situations with flexibility will help you make the most of your trip.

Even if it’s a drag, some anxiety is a normal part of life. It’s good to challenge yourself and get outside your comfort zone, and if you never feel anxiety, you’re probably not doing that very much. Acknowledge the anxiety and move forward with the plans you’ve made.

It’ll be worth it!