Photo via Pixabay by KeithJJ
Any avid sports fan knows that it can be hard to show love to your favorite team when you’re away from home. Going on an extended vacation means you’ll be away from your comfort zone, away from fellow fans, and away from your favorite means of watching and participating in sports for a while. Because having an interest in something that makes you feel good can be good for your mental health, it’s important to find ways to enjoy all the things you love even when you’re not at home.
Fortunately, there are many ways you can accomplish this no matter where you go. The key is to keep an open mind and understand that it’s sometimes necessary to expand your horizons a little. Courtesy of The Sports Archive Blog, here are some of the best ways to keep your favorite sports close to your heart even when you’re away on vacation.
Do some exploring
One of the first things you should do when you’re interested in watching or participating in sports in a new town is to explore. Look online to find local restaurants, sports bars, and sporting events and attend as many as possible. The goal is to find like-minded sports fans (or even fans who enjoy the same teams that you do) and maybe even enjoy a new sport that you’ve never been exposed to before.
You can also use technology to your advantage with an app called Fanatic, which allows you to find fellow fans of your favorite team and where they’ve checked in to watch the game.
“It can be tough to find a local place to watch your favorite team with fellow fans. It’s difficult, and frankly, a bit strange, to high-five yourself during an exciting moment in a big game. Many people don’t live where they grew up, or where they went to college, or even in the same country as where they were born,” says Fanatic user Babak Poushanchi.
You can also download sports channel apps that will allow you to watch all the games you don’t want to miss on your smartphone or tablet. Just make sure you have the right kind of adapter for your charger, as they can differ in countries outside the U.S. And if you don’t already have a pair, now’s the time to get a pair of headphones or earbuds that let you connect to devices via Bluetooth.
Keep an open mind
It’s important to keep an open mind where sports events are concerned; you never know what you might discover in a new place. For instance, if you’re a big football fan in Europe, you might find that soccer is a suitable substitute for football games, and you might even learn to like it.
Get some snacks
If you’re traveling to a place that likely won’t have your favorite game day snacks, consider bringing some with you on the trip, or look for ingredients at a local supermarket that will allow you to make your own. It might not be exactly the same as what you’re used to, but when you’re away from home, sometimes you have to make do with what you have.
Choose a destination that’s right for you
You can make your vacation work for you by choosing a destination that caters to your sports fandom. Make it a point to find cities with access to great sports teams, historic locations, and big events that draw lots of fans.
Take care of things at the office
If you own a small business, it’s important to make sure that things are squared away before you head off on your getaway. This way, you can focus on your sports trip, not what’s happening back at the office. Zenbusiness.com recommends letting clients/customers know that you’ll be away for a while and designating someone in the office to run interference in your place. The peace of mind you’ll receive by having this plan in place will make all the difference during your trip.
Remember to have fun and try not to get stressed if things don’t go exactly the way you envisioned them. Being away from home can be overwhelming for anyone, but if you make it a priority to try new things and meet new people, you’ll have a great time.
