Everyone always complains about the hardship of traveling to their destination, but really it isn't so bad. Lots of times, traveling comes with tons of "free" handouts to make your journey better! Please note when it says "free," it isn't really "free," but included in the fee paid upon purchase of the travel ticket. But still, it's better than paying for it! Traveling also gives you tons of other things that you don't always notice. Here are some of the "free" perks, and some of the unnoticed gifts that traveling can give you:
1. "Free" Alcohol:
Especially for United States undergrad students, the journey "across the pond" means you can actually drink alcohol. What you want, when you want, and how much you want; all without the ID check and interrogation. It surely beats the 10 euro drinks you'll pay for in the club of your destination city. Drink responsibly kids.
2. "Free" Food:
Any airline food is subpar, or adequate at best...but at least it's something to eat; and college kids can always eat. The snacks and extra desserts the airline hands out are totally feasible options to save food for later when you're starving and you have no money. We're all on a tight budget, so every penny saved counts.
3. "Free" Music/Movies/TV Shows:
When you're crowded into a small seat 37,000 feet above sea level, you better believe they have all the latest and greatest entertainment hits of the world available to you. Go ahead, laugh at the new dumb thing Kim K said, cry watching The Book Thief, and lip sync to Adele's latest album (you know you secretly love it). No one will judge you, because they're in their own entertainment bubble doing the exact same thing.
4. "Free" Sleeping Aids:
When you finally are tired enough of the entertainment options and in need of sleep, the airline provides all the best tools to help you catch some ZZZZzzzZZZ's. Yea, of course airplane seats are extremely uncomfortable, especially when you're in economy class and the person in front of you lays practically on your lap the entire flight. BUT, you do get cute comfy pillows, blankets, ear plugs, and eye masks to block out the world around you. You can even save these for your return to your college dorm room with your snoring roommate...but for now they're perfect items to help you snooze before the action packed trip you're about to experience. It might be the most sleep you get the entire time.
5. A geography lesson...
"Ohhhhh that's where Tabernacle is....."
At least on most airlines, there is a "Flight Info" option on the fancy tablet in front of you, which consists of a world map, an outline of your journey, and the current location of your aircraft relative to the world. It is so helpful to know how far along you are in the journey and what cool places are being passed below you. Awesome graphics even let you know where the sun is setting and rising in the world at the moment. I guarantee you'll learn ore geography here than you did throughout all of grade school.
6. ....and some amazing window views
"Wow Manhattan looks pretty cool from up here..."
Not enough people take advantage of the window view. The worst is when someone pays extra to chose a window seat only to close the shade and sleep the entire time. If you're one of these people, you're missing out; big time. You may see the Swiss Alps, Manhattan, or even the Roman ruins all from your tiny window in the sky. Just look out and take it in.
7. An excuse to download a new playlist
"Every time I hear this song I think of the Alps..."
Just in case the entertainment options aren't really your forte, an international journey is the perfect excuse to download a new playlist, album, or movie without feeling guilty. Normally you wouldn't pay a dime to download anything because YouTube and free Pandora are always options....but not in mid-air, unfortunately. These sounds often become reminders of the view you had out the window.
8. The fashion-scoping opportunities
No girl, I'm not eyeing up and down your boyfriend....I'm critiquing your outfit in my mind. You can keep the boy; but where'd you get that cute bag? International fashion is so refreshing after monotonous days full of college t-shirts and yoga pants which makeup the fashion scene on campus.
9. ...but the hot people are nice to see
Even if that boy was taken by the girl with the cute bag, and not really a looker anyway, there are plenty of hotties wandering around the airport or up and down the aisle of your aircraft. Who knows, the Princeton University rugby team might just be on your flight in blazers and bowties.....
10. But even if the person next to you isn't a hot rugby player...
It's so cool to talk to your new flight friend. Find out about their language, their culture, how they see the world. You make a friend you will probably never see again (or you will). Even talking to someone for 10 minutes will impact your life and teach you something. Sometimes a lesson from a flight companion may be more valuable than lessons learned from those you've known your entire life. To learn people IS to learn the world. Even if there is a language barrier, it's cool to try to break down.
11. Time.... TIME to put your life in perspective
Of course, you don't have to travel to put your own life in perspective; who you are, what you want in life....but personally, travel is my favorite time to do so. When you're in reality...at home, at college, at work...you're pulled in so many overwhelming directions. Friends, family, professors, your boss, society. All of them have expectations of you and influences over you that may cause you to lose yourself at times, or forget why you do what you do in the first place. If you abstain form following one of these directions or meeting one of these deadlines, even just once, even just for a day....you fall so far "out of the loop" that its twice as difficult to recover.
But in mid-air, above the seemingly tiny world below there is FINALLY time to decompress. Your reality, whatever it is, seems so small compared to the grandeur of life itself. It's trapped in this little seat in the sky for 10 hours that you finally have time to think about who you are and who you want to be, where you are in life now and where you want to go, and who can come with you there and who should stay behind. These 10 hours of airtime are probably the most relaxing, profound, and self-determining hours you'll ever encounter.
For me, they are. Sure, I could do homework, or work for my boss, but then I wouldn't really be in the clouds. I would still be in that reality full of deadlines and promises. SO instead, I (selfishly) chose to for once in my life take to time for me. To slow down, think, and enjoy the ride.
Next time you travel....whether its a drive down the block or a flight across the globe, I suggest you try the same. You won't regret it.
