I am certain that I’m not alone in my struggles with decision-making. I swing between impulsivity and stagnation. The term “decision paralysis” describes my experiences. There are so many choices, I’m terrified to make the wrong one, so I just avoid making a decision at all. Obviously, this is not ideal. Decisions are a daily occurrence. It’s just not possible to go through life without having to pick and choose.
At the end of my first study abroad in South Korea, I allowed fate to decide my last weekend. I closed my eyes and scrolled through a list of things to do. When I placed my finger down, I was pointing to Yonggungsa Temple. I traveled from Seoul to Busan, hiked the stone steps, and admired the beauty.
Since then, I have started planning by fate. I find places, restaurants, and activities that seem interesting, and I input them into a spinning wheel app on my phone.
If I can’t make a decision (which is pretty often) I go straight to the wheel or the coin flip. The most recent decision was “where to go for a day trip”. The options were Seomyeon, Haeundae, Gwangalli, or Gamcheon Culture Village. The wheel landed on Gwangalli. I got on the subway and traveled there, spending the day walking around, visiting shops, and trying various cafes with incredible food.
Gwangalli Beach, Busan, South Korea
During my previous study abroad in Japan, I found different attractions I thought about visiting. I was overwhelmed by how many options there were, how complicated it was to travel between them, and the very concept of time management. I decided to do something I have now dubbed “Bus Roulette.” I took the bus numbers for each attraction, wrote which they corresponded to on a separate piece of paper, and then input the numbers into the wheel. Whichever one I landed on, I hopped on the bus.
My favorite place I ended up in using this technique was Kyoto’s Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. It was so beautiful that I immediately called my parents for a video call to show them despite the 13-hour time difference.
While I absolutely do not condone using ChatGPT or other AI sites for academics, it is quite helpful for travel planning. I will write, “Please find me interesting things to do in ____.” I will write down the list for future reference. If I’m feeling particularly indecisive or have too many options for a wheel or coin flip, I will have the site create an outline
Hidden gem cafe TEJE, Geumjeong-gu, Busan
My go-to prompt is, “Please create a one-day travel itinerary for ____. Include hidden gem cafes and restaurants, less touristy attractions, and unique activities. Include the travel times between each location using public transport.” If I don’t add “public transport” to the list of requirements, it will plan everything by taxi, which is not particularly cost-effective.
Using this prompt for a one-day travel itinerary in Busan, South Korea, I received a long, detailed list that I happily followed.
With travel planning, I have the added complications of health issues. I have to plan things based on how I’m feeling. Essentially, I need two plans: one for if I’m having a good day and one for if I suddenly start to feel unwell. If the idea of coin flipping, researching, and detailed planning is too overwhelming, I can easily change to prompt to incorporate accessibility.
Visit ChatGPT or your preferred AI generator and use your hometown to test out the prompt “Please create a one-day travel itinerary for ____. Include hidden gem cafes and restaurants, less touristy attractions, and unique activities. Include the travel times between each location using public transport.”