This year I have traveled more than any other year because of all the flights to and from school on breaks. During my many hours spent in airports, I have found that my favorite hobby is simply to people watch. When people watching, you take note of a lot of different kinds of people.
Some people are great travelers! Others, not so much. Many people leave you thinking, "Thank God I'm not traveling with them" or "I wish they weren't on my plane." We ought to write in stone the ten golden rules to live by when traveling, so as not to drive your fellow travelers (and yourself) crazy.
1. Thou shall pack light
The security lines are enough of a pain, but it's way more stressful for everyone when you have 17 bags with you. There's no need to pack your entire wardrobe for a week-long trip.
2. Thou shall wear headphones
Just last week, I sat next to a girl on my flight who watched an ENTIRE MOVIE without headphones! That's just inconsiderate. Nobody wants to listen to your FaceTime conversations, your Netflix show, or your Spotify playlist while waiting to board the flight, or while in the air. Headphones were invented for a reason, and it would be polite of you to always wear them!
3. Thou shall be polite to the flight attendants (and everyone for that matter)
I have learned that traveling stresses some people out, and sometimes those people take their stress out on others by being arrogant and just plain rude! Let's go back to the elementary school rule of "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all!"
4. Thou shall not recline thy seat all thy way into my lap
Like, seriously?? Airplanes have negative amounts of leg room to begin with, so I would really appreciate if I didn't have your seat pressing on my thighs for three hours!
5. Thou shall not aggressively push ahead in the boarding line
I don't really care what zone I am in, or where I stand in the boarding line, and I don't understand the need to hover so impatiently until your zone is called. Your seat isn't going anywhere, and the plane isn't going to take off without you.
6. Thou shall not complain
Flights get delayed, weather happens. Planes have technical difficulties. It happens. There is no point in complaining or getting angry at the airline when the matter is out of their control. Nobody loves a delayed flight, but complaining won't solve the issue.
7. Thou shall pack their own food
This one isn't for the benefit of your fellow travelers, but it will sure benefit the status of your bank account! Airport food is overpriced and everybody knows it. Packing your own snacks will save you from walking far away from your terminal, spending too much money, and waiting in long lines.
8. Thou shall not crowd thy baggage claim
There is simply NO NEED to push aside the elderly and children to secure your space directly in front of the little door flaps that the bags slide through. All it does is aggravate others and force the rest of us to shove through the mess when our suitcases appear.
9. Thou shall sit in thy assigned seat
Please don't try to take the window or aisle seat if you were assigned the middle. Please don't try to sit with your friends if they were assigned a different row than you. Please just sit. where. you. were. assigned. !!
10. Thou shall not wear strong perfumes
It's probably safer to just wear none at all. There is very limited air flow on airplanes, and sometimes the smell of certain perfumes is nauseating to your fellow passengers.
These commandments are so easy to follow. So, for the love of traveling, please do not break them.
