Traveling, while fantastic, can also be pretty stressful. Saving money, getting the right flight times, booking decent yet economical lodging, catching connecting flights and more, can take a mental toll. Even figuring out what to bring may make you crazy, so in the interest of staying sane while preparing for a trip, here is a list of 7 essentials to pack that will help your holiday go smoothly and will ease your mind:

• Money: Bring it in as many forms as possible including cash, travelers checks, credit and debit cards, and keep it in separate places. You never know what different businesses will be willing to take and you don't want to come up short. You also don't want lose everything if a bag is stolen or misplaced.
• Phrase book: Based on personal experience, there is nothing that inhabitants of other countries hate more than when North Americans assume that everyone speaks English. They don't, and it's ignorant to think they do. Learn a few helpful phrases ("Do you speak English?" is a good start) and it will help you immensely.
• Converters and adapters: You'll be pretty disappointed to haul your laptop across the world only to realize that you can't plug it in. Remember, different countries use different electrical systems and you need to be able to not only adapt the plugs, but also convert the energy to the correct voltage.
• Battery-operated alarm clock: They're small and cheap and will keep you from missing a non-refundable bus or plane trip. Enough said.
• Appropriate luggage: If you're backpacking, no one will feel sorry for you if you bring a matching, seven-piece luggage set and have to haul it all over the place. And I've learned from experience that showing up at a nice hotel with an enormous, grubby backpack, while unavoidable at the time, is embarrassing.
• A memento from home: It's no fun to be homesick but having something that reminds you of loved ones seems to really help. I always bring a little photo album, but a beloved stuffy, blanket or other keepsake will also work.
• A sense of adventure: If you go away and act like stick in the mud or spend all of your time talking about how much better things are at home, chances are everyone you meet will wish you'd have stayed there. Traveling is all about experiencing and learning about different places so be prepared to try new things and you'll have the time of your life.