Memoirs of My Early 20’s: Star-like Staycation

When you go on vacation, you invest your hard-earned money to make you feel on top of the world, right? So if you’re like me, you expect to be treated like a queen throughout the trip (even if you know you’ll have to be in a Ramen diet after your vacation, lol). Well, there’s an alternative to a vacation that is much friendlier for your pocket: a staycation. Staycations are a bit less of a commitment. They allow you to live the dream in an area relatively close to your home, which usually translates to vacation on a budget—or an emergency vacation. I love staycations. You get to refresh your mind (to avoid a much-dreaded nervous breakdown) and all while being treated like a VIP. I have a lot of experience with the glamorous side of a staycation, and here’s how you can experience it as well, even on a tight budget.

It’s all about location!

My early 20’s were rather extravagant. My life at that time could be summed up by the words freedom, love, and adventure. Living such a life would leave me living lean many times, but that didn’t worry me—I always figured it out. One thing I learned during those times was on how to prioritize a little getaway, or in this case, a staycation. See, I realized that an adventure was more about the location than anything else. This is especially true when you are looking to be treated like a star for a few days. Try to go somewhere that has an unfamiliar view or a view that will take your breath away. It doesn’t matter if these views are only a few exits away from your home—the point is, this isn’t what you’re used to seeing, and that in itself is fabulous my darling. The woman I was in my early 20’s always wanted to give into my desires, and that included where I chose to stay. In those times, my personal staycations requirements were first an ocean-view (which was usually a bit pricey) and a kitchen or kitchenette. Spend the money on the venue and save money by cooking instead of going out. I promise you, this concession was worth it.

 The more people, the better

If you want to have an over-the-top staycation without hurting your bank account, you must recruit people to bring along. Plan a local getaway with friends or family you feel comfortable enough to spend entire days with. My rule for choosing people is the rule of three: If I am desperately trying to end a meet-up after three hours or less with anyone, then I know I wouldn’t want to spend an entire weekend with them. Do not feel bad about this! Some friends can only interact with each other in small doses. So, once you’ve gathered the people, start looking at larger places with even nicer views. The chances of you loving this staycation is even greater now.

We all love to get pampered

You are beautiful and you are tired. This means that one of the few things worth splurging on during a staycation is pampering services. For this one, I recommend using one of those discount websites, like Groupon, to book some pampering near where you are staying. Most times, if you book within the hotel or venue where you’re staying, you’ll be charged more. I suggest you book for couple’s packages. Who cares if you’re there with your best friend? A couple is you and whoever is with you. Indulge yourselves with a few glasses of wine before the much needed pampering session, and allow this memory to lodge in your mind for future storytelling. Just remember to play it smart. A lot can get accomplished while on a staycation. Sit back and love yourself as you continue relishing in this weekend filled with excitement.

Good-bye technology

You can’t pretend to be a star if you are always consumed by all the distractions around you. You need to own your pseudo-stardom, and you can’t do that if you’re constantly hooked up to your devices. Put everything away and graciously walk through those hallways. Be elegant and let confidence ooze out of your pores as your cell phone remains stored deep inside your luggage. You are living the life! (Even if your home is down the street.)

Act the part

This one is important. In my early 20’s, I used my staycations to build my self-confidence. This is the perfect time to bring out the best of you. You know what I’m talking about. Take out that dress you haven’t worn in ages, wear your fancy jewelry, and doll yourself up enough to be mistaken for a visiting queen. You got this. Lace your strolls through your staycation with fierceness and elegance. Soon you’ll realize that you should do this more in your day-to-day life. The way you portray yourself is something that can always be improved, and what better than when the pressure is off? Work it because you are fabulous.

I know some of this sounds silly, but who cares? At the end of the day we need to learn how to stop being so uptight with ourselves. It’s okay to let loose once in awhile. My loves, life happens at a blink of an eye and I can assure you, we want to be able to laugh at it. Anyhow, I’ll leave you here. I need to get planning my long overdue staycation—I had forgotten how much I loved them. So, who’s joining me for an extraordinary weekend?