Headphones on, hood up, eyes closed.
Nothing is worse than bolting through the airport and weaving through slow walkers while you try to make your next flight. Inconveniences can be found in all parts of travel, from TSA lines, to walking the halls to get to your gate, all the way to sitting on the plane for a long flight. Learning strategies to lessen the annoyances of traveling is key to making it easier.
1. Get noise canceling headphones
One of the best ways to reduce the amount of annoyance that comes with traveling is to completely block it out, at least as much as possible. Your best chance of doing this is with noise canceling headphones, preferably ones that go over your ears. Having over the ear headphones is very noticeable, meaning there is less of a chance of people trying to talk to you when you are trying to keep to yourself. Noise canceling headphones will also block out any possible whining, arguing or crying of others in the airport or on the plane.
2. hoodie
The next traveling necessity is a hoodie. The key to traveling is trying to make yourself as comfortable as possible. For me, being in a big, warm hoodie is ideal. A hoodie is perfect because it also helps to block out any other people in the airport or on the plane. When you have your hood up, you are less likely to be talked to by strangers and it creates a little, warm cave for you to be alone in.
3. Window seat
Nobody wants to be stuck in the dreaded middle seat, but some people do opt for the aisle. But without a doubt, the window seat is the best option. When sitting in the window seat, you never have to worry about getting up to let other people in or out, you can simply just sit with your head leaned up against the wall, hood up and do your best to fall asleep. Sometimes the plane wall has a ledge that you can prop your feet up on to bend and stretch your legs slightly as well.
4. Be early in case of others slowing you down
Being early to airports is the easiest way to keep travel hiccups from ruining your day. The more time you have to drive to the airport, get through security and move from gate to gate, the less stressed you will be. I’ve noticed when traveling that the more stressed I am, the more little things bother me. Being early and leaving time for adjustments will make traveling less stressful and bothersome.
5. Have everything at the ready
Along with being early to the airport, make sure you are prepared. Have IDs, boarding passes and anything else you may need at the ready. Know where your things are and what you will have to do before you get to the airport. Having a plan ahead of time will make moving through the airport much smoother.
Flights will get canceled. People will hold up TSA. You will have a fellow passenger try to talk your ear off. Annoying things will happen while traveling, but learning ways to lessen the chances and effects will make traveling more manageable. Understanding that annoyances are inevitable will make the times where nothing goes wrong much more exciting.