The holiday season is a busy time for everyone. Between finals and the building excitement of the holidays, travel plans can easily get pushed under the rug—and if you’re an out-of-province or international student like me, your winter travel plans can get a little stressful! Here are some tips I use every travel season to get through that last-minute airport rush.
Get Out the Pen and Paper
Make a list of whatever you’re bringing home—that way you won’t forget any essentials when you get back to London. It’s easy to get your packed clothes mixed up in your closet at home, so list-making helps make sure you bring back the same things you brought home. I like to tick things off my list as I repack to come back after break to make sure I have everything before getting back on that plane!
Pack Efficiently
You have your rollers and you have your folders, and no one can seem to come to an agreement on which is the best option for packing the most clothes into the smallest space. But have you considered both? I find that the hybrid approach is best—stack your larger items, like a few shirts at a time, and then roll them into a bundle to prevent wrinkles. Tuck smaller items like socks into shoes and nooks between the rolls, and you’ll have room to spare for all those extra sweaters your mom gives you over the break.
Travel Comfy
When traveling, everyone’s focused on getting to their gate—not your outfit. So be comfy! I recommend traveling in a hoodie and leggings, because whatever you wear will be you’ll be sitting in for a few hours in the airport and on the plane and jeans aren’t the most comfortable. This includes choosing the right shoes—you could be running between terminals, so wear something light and comfy like runners.
Put a Ribbon On It
Everyone has seen that giraffe-print luggage at the carousel and thought of how easily that person must find their bag when they deplane. But you don’t have to spring for expensive, eye-catching suitcases! Before you leave the house, put something on your checked luggage to distinguish it; I find that a short ribbon on one of the handles works well. There are only so many models of suitcase and the holiday season is the busiest travel time of the year, so make the luggage carousel process a step easier for yourself and decorate a little.
Carry Cash
Airports are infamous hotspots for theft, so make sure you carry a little cash on you in case your cards get stolen. You’ll probably have anywhere from one to three carry-ons once you’re past security, so plan ahead—make sure to store a couple bills in your pocket and purse before you check your bags. Putting it in a few different places also ensures that if any one piece of luggage gets taken, you still have a backup!
Take Jewelry Off Before Security
If you wear enough jewelry to set off the metal detector, save yourself some time and take it off while you’re in line behind the thirty other people fighting for those grey bins. You might even consider having a Ziploc bag or small purse to put all your jewelry in, because if you have enough to set off the metal detector, you have enough to warrant a container for it all. This tip can also apply to liquids and electronics!
Wi-Fi Hack
Once you’re past security and have some free time on your hands, you will likely want to connect to the wi-fi to get some work done or pass the time. If the airport doesn’t have unlimited free wi-fi, (looking at you, Montreal) try this tip: bypass paid redirections by adding “?.jpg” to the end of your URL. This one doesn’t work 100% of the time, but when it does you’ve got a little extra distraction from that long wait for your plane to deal with the infamous “maintenance issues” that may be delaying you from getting home for the holidays.
Stay Standing—Unless You Have Overhead Luggage!
You’re already going to be sitting for hours once you get on the plane, so try to stand for the last 20-30 minutes before they call your section to board. Go to the washroom, get a snack, or charge your phone… stand while you can! Due to the time of year, there likely won’t be many free seats anyways as the airport will be packed. Once they call your section try to fight the urge to immediately get in line—don’t sit on that plane any longer than you have to, unless you have overhead luggage. In that case, line up ASAP so you get some of that coveted overhead space before the plane fills up!
Stay Hydrated!
This may seem obvious, but don’t forget to drink water while you’re in the air! It’s easy to get dehydrated up there, and you don’t want to feel tired and gross when you land and have to deal with deplaning and collecting your luggage. Even if your flight is only an hour, try to either bring a water bottle, (bought after security of course) or get a cup of water from the flight attendant when you’re in the air to stay hydrated.
Don’t Let Turbulence Ruin Your Day
If you’re a nervous flyer, it doesn’t take much turbulence to convince you that something is seriously wrong. One thing that eases my mind when turbulence hits is remembering that it cannot do anything to hurt you—the shaking of the plane is normal, and not going to make it flip over or fall out of the sky. The most it can do is make you nervous. Planes are built to withstand ridiculous amounts of disturbance from the air, and turbulence itself will never be an issue so long as you keep your seatbelt buckled and just wait it out. Put on some tunes or watch a movie, because it won’t be long until you’re sailing in smooth skies again.
Make sure to take care of yourself this winter so your travel experience is as smooth as possible. However far you have to fly, remember that the travel process is just a small part of the time you get to spend at home with your family! And even if despite these tips your flight experience isn’t easy this winter, remember that you’ll be coming right back to London soon—and Western will be here to greet you! Enjoy the holidays everyone, and safe flying!