5 Tips for Surviving An International Flight
Written by Drew September 21, 2015
You’ve been accepted to your study abroad program. You’ve set up your travel accommodations. You’ve survived the daunting task of packing. So, like, now what?
Oh yeah, you have a flight spanning an entire ocean to your study abroad destination.
I’ll be honest: The flight isn’t the most enjoyable task of studying abroad. However, there are ways to make it less painful.
Here are my five tips on surviving the international flight to your study abroad destination.
#1. Wear comfortable clothing.
Okay, this just seems like an obvious one, doesn’t it? However, I’ll go into a little more depth than just mentioning to wear your favorite pair of sweatpants on your flight.
The biggest advice I can give is to bring layers. Bring shorts, sweats, hoodie, etc. The climate of the flight varies, so you never know what to expect. By having all of these options, you will be prepared for any possible condition.
Also, a huge tip I received before my first trip abroad was to wear compression socks. You know when your foot falls asleep when you are in a long flight? These socks prevent that from happening by allowing blood to circulate throughout your body. I would highly recommend picking up a pair of these.
Overall, just wear whatever you feel comfortable in. You’re going to be on this journey for a good amount of time, so you want to be comfortable.
#2. Sleeping aides.
Sleeping aides are a beautiful thing, my friends. There are a couple sleep aides that I have experimented with on international flights. I would highly recommend giving one of them a shot especially if you are like me and struggle to sleep anywhere that’s not my own bed.
One of them is Melatonin. This wonder medicine can be found at your local pharmacy and can be found in numerous forms. The type of Melatonin that I used was in gummy form. I found that this didn’t work well for me, but some people swear by it.
Another one is ZzzQuil, which is kind of like NyQuil without all the cold remedy aspect. Like Melatonin, ZzzQuil can be found in different forms – liquid and capsules. For flights, you’re going to want to use the capsules as I do not believe the liquid comes in airplane regulated size. In my experience, I have found ZzzQuil to work best for me.
Here’s my overall advice for this one: Sleep aides aren’t for everyone. Give it a try a week or so before you make your trip and see which option or neither will work better for you.
#3. Get an aisle seat or window seat.
I have not experienced the pain of being in the center section of a Boeing 737, but I have peered over in that direction.
You know how those people look? Miserable.
Now, it’s obvious that not everyone can be seated in a window or aisle seat, but there are ways to pick your seats depending on the airline you are using. Some flights you will be able to pick your seat prior to boarding or when you order your ticket. Other flights will seat you, and you are given the option to upgrade. I would highly recommend it if you are able to use these options.
My only advice is that if you can avoid sitting in those middle seats, you won’t regret it. Trust me.
#4. Sound cancelling headphones.
Doesn’t everyone just love the shrill of crying babies while you’re trying to nap?
If you’ve ever experienced the situation of a crying baby on a long flight, you know how painful this situation can be. There’s a way to avoid having to listen to a baby cry for
Yes, noise canceling headphones are fairly expensive, but if you’ve been looking to splurge on a new gift for yourself, here’s a good excuse for you to get some really nice headphones.
If you are looking for a less expensive item, regular headphones will work, but they won’t be as effective. Also, disposable earplugs do the job, too.
#5. Brings snacks.
Here’s where Mom comes in!
Your international flight will be a long journey, so you want to have at least a little bit of food in your carry on to snack on during the flight if you get hungry.
More than likely, your international flight will offer a meal or two. But, as you can imagine, the food usually isn’t that great.
By bringing something to snack on, you will have a backup plan if you don’t like the food or the meal isn’t enough for you.
I understand it all: The international flight isn’t the most enjoyable experience you will find while studying abroad, but if you follow some of these tips, your international flight will be much smoother.
Blogger: Drew, The University of Iowa
