Image courtesy of yourfriendshouse.com.
We all can’t wait to get to our spring break destination, but enduring the plane ride can be awful. If you have a hard time falling asleep on planes, try these icebreakers and techniques to keep you busy and not fantasizing about throttling the screaming child in front of you.
1. Read a Book
A popular way to spend your time on god-awful plane rides is to bring a book aboard, whether it come in electronic or paperback forms. Stories that take us to places faster than planes is a great way to forget we’re in a soaring cabin in the sky.
2. Read a Newspaper
Sometimes there are free newspapers you can take before you board a plane. If you don’t have anything better to do and are interested in current events, it couldn’t hurt to check out the articles that made it to print.
3. Draw/Doodle
Every artist should ideally have a travel-sized sketchbook in their bag. Now’s the time to doodle concepts for whatever piece you may be working on in the future.
4. Draw People on the Plane
Well, if you don’t want to imagine things to draw, you can do life drawing! The people next to, behind and in front of you are your subjects. Capturing them on paper could be fun!
5. Watch out the Window
If you’re lucky enough to have snagged the window seat, the landscape outside will most likely be a source of entertainment for you. The seat, mountains and cities below are fascinating to see from a birds-eye view! You don’t get to see the world from this vantage point every day!
6. Listen to Music
This will require earbuds and a source of music. If you’re on a long ride, there’s a chance that the plane is equipped with playlist stations. Just close your eyes and get lost in sound!
7. Listen to ‘Hamilton’ the Musical
A great way to spend 2.5 hours in listening to the musical Hamilton! It’s a historical blend of hip-hop and other musical genres that can be addicting to any music lover. By the time your flight ends you might be in tears. Pursue with caution.
8. Write
People who like to write stories can also utilize this time by writing on their laptops or on paper. Whichever you prefer, you might find it easier to write without distractions.
9. Play with the in-flight Entertainment
If the plane comes with a screen on the back of chairs, a good time-waster is divulging in the games it comes with. You might as well since you paid for it!
10. Play Portable Electronic Games
If in-flight games aren’t enough to keep you happy, bringing your own games could be a great substitute. Whether it be a DS, PSP, laptop or other mobile devices, just make sure it’s charged! Nothing is worse than having to wrap up your controller before the plane has touched the tarmac.
11. Watch a Movie
Whether on your laptop, tablet, phone or the screen on the seat in front of you, movies can put you in a bubble for a good few hours, and by the time it’s done you will have been through both an emotional and physical rollercoaster (turbulence willing).
12. Talk to the Stranger Next to You
If you’re up for the challenge, go and chat up your seatmates! You never know who could be sitting next to you — an upstart actor, a rich business man, a coach? A future friend? There’s a good chance that they wouldn’t mind talking to you either. Some of us just need someone to break the ice.
13. Sleep
If you’re coming back from school, you’re probably going to want to catch up on some Z’s. Make sure to bring a neck pillow because planes are not known to be the coziest of sleeping places.
14. Catch up with Work
Have other work you need to do, like writing an article perhaps? Break out your laptop and get to work. Or if you’re like the lady I sat next to on the plane, browse your email the entire ride. Whichever works for you!
15. Snack
If you managed to get some snacks before you boarded the plane, go ahead and eat! It won’t last long, but having something to eat other than peanuts is always a treat.
16. Order a Drink
Order an alcoholic drink! If you’re of age, anyway. The lady next to me ordered an $8 glass of red wine. She was a visionary.
17. Engage in a Game of Hangman with your Neighbor
This will require a paper and pen. If you’re comfortable enough, challenge your seatmate to a game of hangman! Almost everyone knows the rules, you can’t fail! Most languages use the roman alphabet, so you can do it even if your seatmate doesn’t speak English! And if they don’t, tic-tac-toe is game of the ages.