Traveling during school is one of the busiest and most stressful times of the year. You have to make sure you have everything packed and that it’s packed appropriately in line with airport security guidelines. No one wants to stress out even more when going home or out-of-state for the holidays, so I’ve created this list from my own traveling experience that will hopefully decrease your stress and have you looking even more excited for your trip!
Disclaimer: These tips are not meant to be considered during COVID, but instead pertain to pre- and post- COVID times. If you’re utilizing any of these tips, please accommodate them to your preferences and environment! Stay safe!
- Create a To-Do List
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Just as it can with homeowrk and extracurriculars, a to-do list will save you when prepping to travel. I use this one from day designer that already organizes all your belongings by categories such as clothes, toiletries, electronics, and etc. It even includes a quantity column and a checklist box for you to write down how much you’re bringing and to make sure you have it before you walk out the door. I’ve utilized this list so many times and it’s been a lifesaver. Whenever I think I forgot something, I just pull out my list and double-check that it’s been packed. You don’t have to print it out (I prefer to) but if you want to save paper, you can easily copy this down in a notebook.
- Have Your Boarding Pass on Hand
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It’s really easy to lose your boarding pass whenever you’re in the airport because it’s a piece of paper that you would easily forget. But your boarding pass is one of the most important things to have easy access to because it’s how you get through the security check, pass the boarding gates, and find your seat on the plane. Some people have it on their phones which is convenient, however, I always print it out at one of the kiosk desks near the security check at DTW. I always store it with my water bottle in my backpack’s side pocket which is a snug fit to ensure it doesn’t fall out. You can’t put it in your pocket because security has you clear out your pockets, but put it somewhere where you know it won’t fall out. Store your boarding pass in your wallet or an enclosed compartment so you’re not freaking out about it minutes later and missing your flight. No one wants that to happen!
- Be at Your Boarding Gate Super Early
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I can’t stress this tip enough. Right after you make it out of the security check, go to the restroom, grab some food, and head right to your boarding gate. It could be filled with people for the next flight, but when they leave, it’s going to be empty and you should take your preferred seat. The amount of people that occupy the boarding gate right before boarding begins is a lot and there’s going to be almost no seats left. If there are, they’re usually big groups traveling together that most likely have little kids that are nosey and loud. From my experience, these kids can be cute at first, but annoying when they’re screaming for thirty minutes straight and you can still hear them through your Netflix show. So, make sure you arrive early so you have your picking of seats and you don’t have to sit somewhere you don’t want to.
- Charge All of Your Electronics Beforehand
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We sometimes forget to charge our phone or laptop at night and it’s not a problem because we don’t have anything going on the next day. But for traveling, no one wants a dead phone – that will make for one boring flight! Put out sticky notes the night before to remind you to charge all of your electronics, even your portable chargers because Netflix can definitely eat up your battery during your flight. When you’re packing, make sure you pack your portable and wall chargers on your person or carry-on bag and not in your luggage. This is so if your phone needs to be charged before or after the flight, you have easy access to it and you don’t have to wait for your luggage to arrive on the carousel to actually use your electronics. We all depend on our electronic devices and not having them charged can easily cause you to stress about when your phone’s going to die.
- Download All Your Favorite Albums and Shows
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When you’re on the airplane and you have to turn your devices to airplane mode, you’re left with quite limited entertainment options. This is why you have to download your favorite music, movies, and shows before you get on the plane. I try to download them in accordance with how long I’m traveling for. For example, if my flight is 2 hours and 30 minutes long, I try to find a 2-hour movie or 2 movies about 1 hour each so I’m occupied for the entire flight. This way I can access plenty of entertainment options without using wifi or cellular data. The same thing goes for music. I have Spotify Premium, so I download my recent favorite albums and access them during the flight or to save my phone battery (can go for Apple Music or any other service). This way you are not using the airport’s slow wifi connection or your cellular data and can easily access your tv shows and music. Also, for this tip, having noise-canceling headphones or earbuds will be very beneficial because we know it can get real noisy on an airplane.
- Bring Hand Sanitizer & Wet-Ones Wipes
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Airplanes are a nest of germs and bacteria waiting for you. I don’t have to worry about this because wherever I go, I bring hand sanitizer (Bath & Body Works for the win!) and Wet-Ones wipes. Just make sure you bring the pocket size ones that align with TSA rulesto ensure they don’t get thrown out during the security check. Wet-ones are a must because you can wipe down your seat, seatbelt, and armrest before the flight begins and you can easily clean your hands instead of waiting in the long line for the restrooms. Being clean and safe is important during the traveling season, especially if it’s with the flu and colds around.
- Be Comfortable
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We’ve all seen celebrities’ candid pictures of them looking fly when they leave the airport. They do this while wearing clothes that are comfortable and we can too! I suggest wearing slip-on shoes because they are so easy to take off and put on when you get around to a security check. You also don’t have to spend time with your laces that can hold up the line. I’ve seen people wear slippers and my personal favorite is my Vans. I also recommend bringing a blanket. If you’re wondering why you should bring one, remember that airports and airplanes are freezing with air-conditioning – especially ones in warm climates. So, blankets are perfect to help keep you warm and comfy while you’re watching your favorite movie! A neck-pillow is also a necessity. When you’re looking down at your phone for 2-5 hours and start feeling sleepy, it’s hard to find a comfortable position to sleep in. A neck-pillow can help relieve any strain and position your neck properly so your head is not falling while you try to sleep. But what happens if you’re hungry? I always like to refer to this list that TSA provides to make sure I don’t have to throw out my favorite snacks. I pack them in my backpack or carry-on in easy to reach places so I don’t have to struggle around in my seat looking for them. I bring Ziploc bags of them so they don’t take up too much space and it saves me money when I don’t have to spend in an airport gift shop (but I do like going to McDonald’s though).
- Fill Up Your Water Bottle AFTER Security
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This is one of the most important tips if you’re trying to save money at the airport because bottled water costs around $3! If you ask me, that’s way too expensive for water. If you fill up your bottle BEFORE security, they’ll make you pour it out. After you make it out of security, you can fill up your water bottle all you want. However, it does depends on the airport: DTW doesn’t have the water filling stations MSU does, so I normally refill at McDonald’s. MCO (Orlando), on the other hand, does has them!
- Stay Safe
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Traveling is a busy time and it’s easy to forget to stay safe and be aware of your surroundings. Make sure you’re not being followed, and if you think you are, surround yourself with your traveling companions or move into a crowded area. Don’t walk anywhere if it’s empty, even the restroom, if you have a bad feeling in your gut because most likely your gut is right. Keep your phone on hand and notify airport personnel if you’re still suspicious. We all want to have a good time and get to our destination safely, but while it’s important to keep an eye out for ourselves, it’s just as important to keep an eye out for others as well.