10 Ways to Get Through a Long Flight
When you have been on a plane for 27 hours
For a lot of study abroad students, studying abroad is the first time they will fly internationally. And while this can be exciting, it can also be supes difficult. Let's face it, being in a metal tube for an entire workday just isn't fun.
Here are 10 tips on how to get through those LONG international flights.
1. Get a seat in the back. Unless you are willing to splurge for that first-class seat, try and sit in the back. Contrary to poplar belief, a back row seat is usually better because you are more likely to have an empty seat next to you - or sometimes a whole row! Also, fun fact, the back of the plane is the safest spot on a plane in the case of an emergency landing.
2. Compression socks. Ok, I know compression socks are usually associated with your grandparents, but they really are helpful for improving circulation in your legs and feet during a long flight. Think about it: when you are on a plane, your feet are always below your heart. This makes blood collect in your calves and feet, which can be really uncomfortable. Pull a Grandma Jan and get some compression socks!
3. Download apps/videos/music before coming to the airport. Airport/airplane wifi is super unreliable, so doing all your downloads while you wait at the gate is not a good idea. Plus, some airlines require you to download specific apps in order to even access free internet. So save yourself the frustration and do all your downloads at home.
4. Get to know your neighbors. I know sometimes the last thing you want to do is talk to the stranger next to you, but often people on international flights have really interesting lives and awesome stories to tell. You might even meet someone from another country! Having someone to chat with at hour 8 can be a nice break from watching your third romcom.
5. Pack healthy snacks. Its really easy to splurge on sweets at the airport. And while this is definitely a fun part of the flying experience, eating junk food and make your more dehydrated than you are already bound to be on a long flight. Try to pack yourself an apple or carrots instead of that Hersey's bar. Pro tip: if you have extra snacks, try sharing with your neighbor. Its a nice gesture and an easy conversation starter.
6. Bring fun books. It can be tempting to pack say, "that one book that is really dense that people keep telling you you should read but you keep avoiding it." If you aren't going to start that book in the comfort of your own home, you wont start it on a flight. Flight books need to be page turners. They should help you stay comforted and relaxed, not make you groan with dread.
7. Neck pillows. At some point on an international flight you will need to sleep for at least a few hours. You would be shocked how much easier this is with a properly supported neck. If you don't want to pay for a neck pillow, fair enough. Another option is taking a jacket or sweater and folding it around the back of your neck for extra support.
8. Earplugs. Getting stuck next to a crying baby, chatty friends, or god forbid, a snorer, can disrupt your much needed beauty sleep. Pack some earplugs to help avoid the situation below.
9. Stretch regularly. Unless you are sleeping for most of the flight, try getting up to use the bathroom or stretch every hour, even during the first few hours of the trip. What often happens is that people will settle down for the first 6 hours of a trip, thinking they will get up once they are restless. But if you do this, by the time hour 9 rolls around, you will be beyond restless. Getting up this often helps with blood flow and general discomfort.
10. Get rest the night before. People often think "I'll sleep on the flight, so why sleep a ton before?" But its easy to forget that its hard to sleep well on a flight. Do yourself a favor and get plenty of sleep the night before a long flight.