Traveling season is approaching us: fall break, thanksgiving, winter break. To the KC people, that’s all fine and dandy. For us out-of-staters, breaks from school mean long commutes back home.
My travel stress begins about a week before the journey; the first part is packing. How am I supposed to know which outfits I’m going to need when I’m home? How am I supposed to know what toiletries I can and cannot put in my carry-on? How am I supposed to know if my bag is over 50 lbs? It took going to college to realize how much my mother helped me with packing.
Another stress is driving alone. Quite honestly, I love driving alone. It is very therapeutic for me. However, it’s all fun and games until the GPS says to exit right fucking now and you’re in the far left lane. It’s so much easier when you have a companion telling you how much longer you’re on that highway. And you should NOT try to check for yourself while driving because that is unsafe and dumb.
Majority of my anxiety comes from dealing with all my luggage by myself. My going home routine consists of driving to the airport parking, taking a shuttle to airport, dropping off luggage, picking it back up from baggage claim, and putting it into another car. That is a lot to do with a suitcase and duffel bag that weighs as much as I do. The worst is the baggage claim, though. Once my bag comes out, I study it as it revolves around the carousel planning which way is the best way to grab it and hoist it out while it’s still moving. I seriously think about this embarrassment for roughly 24 hours.
I’d also like to call attention to the fact that I have absolutely no idea what I would do in the case of a change of plans. I feel (somewhat) comfortable with my travel routine, but if my flight was delayed or cancelled or moved to another gate… panic. This would result in a dramatic phone call to my mom because I am a 19-year-old who is still entirely dependent on her mommy.
The last and probably most stupid stress I face while traveling is simply being alone. I honestly feel awkward getting dinner at the airport alone or choosing where to sit on a plane alone. It is much more fun and casual when you have a buddy.
All images from giphy.com