Freshman Five: Air Travel Tips

If you follow me on Instagram (which I would forever love you if you would!), you know that Thursday night I boarded an airplane for the first time in a long while and flew home!

Usually I drive, but because of my international spring break plans (trust me, sounds crazy but I assure you they are anything but!), my family and I decided it be best to just fly home and have a bit more time to spend with them before I head off.

By the time many of you will be reading this post, I will once again be up in the air, heading to cross the northern border into good ol' Canada!

Personally, I like flying. Now, don't get me wrong, I hate heights with enough of a burning passion that I refuse to ride roller coasters, but I enjoy the process of people-watching in the airport, potentially meeting new people, and having an experience, because every trip truly is its own experience.

Not everybody has flown on a plane before, or flown by themselves, so here are a few simple tips I have found to be pretty helpful to myself.

Dress Comfortably // I have been in both weather extremes, and personally, I would rather be cold than hot, because if you're cold, at least there's something you can do about it! I have never been on a flight where I wasn't freezing, so comfortable layers have become an essential when I fly! If, however, you aren't a fan of layers, bring a good coat or a blanket to keep on you during the flight. Lots of flights have their own blankets, but if you're a slight germophobe like me, you would probably rather bring your own blanket and just wash it twice after the flight.

Pack Smarter, Not Harder // Carry-ons are great, partially because they help keep your check-in luggage from going over 50 lbs (or is that just me?!). They are great for keeping the things you need at-hand, from an extra change of clothes to your laptop, but if you're a packrat like me, you may find yourself overpacking this luggage as well. To keep my carry-on light, I go no farther than packing an extra change of clothes, a book, my laptop, snacks, and any small things that I decided not to put in my check-in.

I Like Food, You Like Food, We All Like Food // Food is great, but airport food prices are most definitely not. Packing small snacks in your purse or carry-on is not a bad idea, especially if you happen to arrive at the airport early and you get hungry while waiting. Pick snacks that will satisfy you more and quickly - my mom loves packing almonds! Funny story: one of the girls who used to work for my parents told me that on a flight to Hawaii, the family sitting a few rows down from her had brought a cooler of sandwich stuff and made sandwiches throughout the flight! Now I have no idea on if that would pass the current TSA regulations, but what a nice idea, huh?

Bringing Entertainment // Depending on how long your flight is, you may decide to bring a book, a pack of cards, or maybe you're lucky and your specific plane provides WiFi or free TV. You won't always be notified of the WiFi or free TV ahead of time, nor will you always enjoy what they're showing, so having something small with you is typically a good idea - having options isn't necessarily a bad thing! Who knows, maybe your flight gets delayed and you have something to do while waiting?

Be Prepared // Planning ahead is great, but sometimes things don't necessarily go as planned, so remember to keep an open-mind when things happen. One of the most simple yet extremely important things to remember is keeping hydrated! It's really easy to become dehydrated during the flight so bring a collapsible water bottle that you can refill once you're past the security check and don't be afraid to ask the flight attendant for water! Also, hand sanitizer and wipes: I typically carry these in my purse anyways, but if you don't, I highly recommend traveling with them - you never know what you'll encounter!

Hope some of these tips were helpful! Have you flown before? What have you found to be helpful when you're flying?

xx

Catch you next time.