As someone going to school out of state, I’ve been on more airplanes in the last year than the last 17 combined. Let me tell you, I was nervous the first time. Now? I’m flying home for a weekend without a flight pal for the first time, and, you know, it’s not that bad. Here are 12 things you need to know about flying home.
1. Charge up all your devices.
You’re going to need a full charge, especially on your cell phone. Maybe bring a portable charger if you have one. This isn’t just for downtime – coordinating your arrival with the people who are waiting to pick you up is important too.
2. Get someone else to drive you to the airport.
Avoid dealing with transportation on your own if you possibly can. It’s cheaper and so much less of a hassle. If you have any friends with cars, try asking one of them to help you out, buy them a coffee on the way and be prepared to return the favor some day.
3. Show up, like, way earlier than you need to.
If all goes well, you can get from the front door to your gate in just about 10 minutes. (That’s what I just did.) But all the same, sometimes that won’t happen. Something could go wrong with TSA or your boarding pass. And even if it doesn’t, what’s an airplane trip without downtime at the gate?
4. Unlace your shoes before you get to the bins.
It just makes things a lot easier when you get to TSA and shove all your stuff into those grey bins on a conveyor belt if you have your shoes ready.
5. TSA agents are people, too.
They get a bad rap, but a lot of them are just people doing their jobs. They're just trying to shuffle you through so you can get on with your flight and they can get on with their job. Just stay calm and don’t wear any metal, and you should get through pretty quickly.
6. Bring stuff to do while you wait.
You showed up early, just in case. Now wait. Bring homework, in the case of spring break. Or read a book. Or Snapchat your friends. Or write an Odyssey article. (Guess what I chose…)
7. People-watch.
Airports are great for people-watching because it’s such an abnormal setting. You’ve got a weird mix of suit-wearing, briefcase-toting pros, curious kids, frazzled parents, nervous travelers and pretty much everything in between. Everyone there has a story.
8. Don’t get too excited when they call for group A to board.
Unless you’re actually group A. In which case, probably start packing up whatever you were doing while you were waiting, but don’t think you necessarily have to rush it. These things take time.
9. Stay calm when your bag barely fits into overhead.
It will barely fit: that’s pretty much a given. Shove that bag on up there and slam the door.
10. Grab a window seat if you can.
You can see windows from any seat, but window seats are especially nice. Stare down on the world outside, look out at the clouds and just see the world from a whole new perspective.
11. Don’t get too excited when you touch down on the other side.
Once again, these things take a while. Even once people can start to file out, the line is going to get crowded, fast. Just kick back for a few extra minutes and wait out the rush.
12. Be ready for a climate change.
It could be snowing when you enter the airport and scorching when you next get outside. What to wear for such an occasion? Compromise between the two, probably. I like to wear jackets that I can take off easily and the like. Leave the airport and enjoy wherever you are to the fullest.
These are some of the things I’ve done when traveling by airplane. Can you relate? What other things do you find yourself doing or experiencing during air travel?
