International Flights
I flew twenty-something hours to get to America.
(This does not include the layovers. That added to the travel time.)
Maybe you haven't been on such a long flight before. Maybe you haven't been on one in a long time (six years, for me). Either way, here are my top three tips on getting through all that travel.
To thine own self be true. (Sorry. I wanted to quote Shakespeare.) Figure out how you feel while travelling. Will you feel sick if you eat something oily? Will you have trouble sleeping in a mostly upright position (like a flight seat)? Think back to how you've felt on previous trips, whether on shorter flights or on trains, buses, ferries, or long drives. They're usually pretty good indicators of how you can expect to feel on this long flight. Based on that, make some decisions. Maybe get a pillow to rest your neck comfortably on the flight so you can catch some sleep. Maybe avoid rich food before you get on the plane, sticking to dishes easier on your stomach. Think about how you can make yourself more comfortable on the journey, because it is long.
Time your sleep to minimize jetlag. Flying to California means flying to a time zone that is twelve and a half hours behind home. That's effectively just switching AM and PM - suddenly bedtime becomes breakfast, and you're asleep through lunch. I also had a long layover in Singapore, which was another time zone to get used to. Here's what I did: I set my watch to the time zone of my destination (whether Singapore or California), and forced myself to sleep to a schedule on that time. I'd be feeling ridiculously sleepy, but just watch a movie - Doctor Strange, with all its crazy lights and special effects and fight sequences, was one that wouldn't let me doze off - to stay awake until it was a reasonable hour to go to sleep early. So instead of falling asleep at 2:30 IST/3:00 California time, I'd stay up a few extra hours so I could sleep at 7:00 IST/7:30 California time, which is early, but at least it's evening. This was pretty disorienting but it minimized my jetlag, so I was more sleeping off travel exhaustion than adjusting to the time zone. There are also tips online about checking what local time you land and controlling your exposure to sunlight based on that - it helps your body clock reset to local time. I didn't really use it because I landed at night and timed myself to sleep the first half of the flight so I could sleep that (California) night.
Layer. Wear, like, a tank top under a T-shirt and bring a jacket. International flights can get cold, but you don't know what the temperature may be like in the airport or during a layover. Layering gives you the option of adapting to the temperature without having to change your clothes.
And that's it, basically! Those are my top tips for getting through your flight. To those of you yet to leave, I hope you get some sleep and get to read/watch/listen to something interesting, and have a safe trip! And to those of you who've already done your international-flight-to-college, let me know what other tips you think are important.
(This does not include the layovers. That added to the travel time.)
Maybe you haven't been on such a long flight before. Maybe you haven't been on one in a long time (six years, for me). Either way, here are my top three tips on getting through all that travel.
To thine own self be true. (Sorry. I wanted to quote Shakespeare.) Figure out how you feel while travelling. Will you feel sick if you eat something oily? Will you have trouble sleeping in a mostly upright position (like a flight seat)? Think back to how you've felt on previous trips, whether on shorter flights or on trains, buses, ferries, or long drives. They're usually pretty good indicators of how you can expect to feel on this long flight. Based on that, make some decisions. Maybe get a pillow to rest your neck comfortably on the flight so you can catch some sleep. Maybe avoid rich food before you get on the plane, sticking to dishes easier on your stomach. Think about how you can make yourself more comfortable on the journey, because it is long.
Time your sleep to minimize jetlag. Flying to California means flying to a time zone that is twelve and a half hours behind home. That's effectively just switching AM and PM - suddenly bedtime becomes breakfast, and you're asleep through lunch. I also had a long layover in Singapore, which was another time zone to get used to. Here's what I did: I set my watch to the time zone of my destination (whether Singapore or California), and forced myself to sleep to a schedule on that time. I'd be feeling ridiculously sleepy, but just watch a movie - Doctor Strange, with all its crazy lights and special effects and fight sequences, was one that wouldn't let me doze off - to stay awake until it was a reasonable hour to go to sleep early. So instead of falling asleep at 2:30 IST/3:00 California time, I'd stay up a few extra hours so I could sleep at 7:00 IST/7:30 California time, which is early, but at least it's evening. This was pretty disorienting but it minimized my jetlag, so I was more sleeping off travel exhaustion than adjusting to the time zone. There are also tips online about checking what local time you land and controlling your exposure to sunlight based on that - it helps your body clock reset to local time. I didn't really use it because I landed at night and timed myself to sleep the first half of the flight so I could sleep that (California) night.
Layer. Wear, like, a tank top under a T-shirt and bring a jacket. International flights can get cold, but you don't know what the temperature may be like in the airport or during a layover. Layering gives you the option of adapting to the temperature without having to change your clothes.
And that's it, basically! Those are my top tips for getting through your flight. To those of you yet to leave, I hope you get some sleep and get to read/watch/listen to something interesting, and have a safe trip! And to those of you who've already done your international-flight-to-college, let me know what other tips you think are important.
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