Stranded At The Airport: a Survival Guide

 

Picture this scenario: You’re waiting to board your flight. You’ve got your luggage checked, your carry-ons are ready, your iPod is fully charged, and you have just enough Dramamine to last you through this trip. Suddenly, an announcement bellows through the intercom: “Passengers, we are experiencing some delays due to weather. Please be seated and remain patient until we can board the flight.”

So now you’re stuck. What was once supposed to be a super fun trip suddenly becomes a nightmarish ordeal of “Will they? Won’t they?” and now you’re just forced to wait in boredom. Right?

Wrong.

While delays can definitely make for an uncomfortable evening of making small talk with strangers and eating airport food, they don’t have to be completely bad. In order to help cure those stranded blues, we’ve compiled an airport survival guide for those days when things aren’t going your way.

 

1. Make yourself aware of the nearest restrooms.
No one (and I mean no one) enjoys having to find a bathroom when they’ve really got to go, and chances are, you’ll to go a few times while waiting for your flight to finally board.  The easiest way to avoid discomfort and panic when you realize you have no idea where the bathrooms are is to find them before you even have to go! It makes it easier on you, and if you’re traveling in a group, they’ll appreciate the directions.

 

2. Try new foods!
The best thing about visiting an airport is that the food is usually specific to that region and almost always aimed at tourists. This is your chance to try a real New York pastrami dip, a hearty Midwestern meal, or to finally taste that traditional dish from the country you’re in. Make it a worldly affair and buy one small thing from several different restaurants to create your very own customized airport meal. It may not be gourmet, but it’s definitely unique!

 

3. Chat it up with a stranger & make a new friend.
While we would never condone putting yourself in a dangerous situation, airports are a controlled environment, which actually kind of makes them the ideal place to make a new acquaintance. You’re surrounded by hundreds of people who are, let’s face it, super vigilant these days. You’re also in the presence of several security guards who are specifically trained to take out anyone who seems suspicious or threatening. So don’t be afraid to chat it up with your fellow stragglers! You never know who you’ll meet.

Note: Maranatha Tours does not endorse interacting with people who seem dangerous or unstable. Know your surroundings, trust your gut, and if you feel uncomfortable, remove yourself from the situation.

 

4. Create a Stranded At The Airport playlist.
Good thing you brought your laptop! Now’s the time to make a really awesome playlist to illustrate your time spent at the airport. Include your favorites as well as tunes to describe your feelings of being stuck, and listen to it on the plane! Don’t have a laptop? No worries, just write down the songs and create the playlist when you get home as a reminder of that time you got stuck waiting to fly! Don’t limit it to just music- make random lists for whatever! As mundane as it seems, lists are a great way to pass the time. You can make a list for just about anything! List your favorite people, or favorite television shows, or even your favorite bible verses! It’s a great way to keep your mind active and distract you from watching the clock for hours on end.

 

 5. Doodle.
Doodling is my favorite past time. It’s relatively cheap and if you like what you draw, you can keep it as a memento or use it for scrapbooking! Don’t have a pen? Someone around you is bound to have one.

 

6. Play “What’s Your Story?”
Don’t put that pen and paper away just yet! Now’s your chance to really get creative! Take a look around at all people you don’t know, then pick someone and write a fictional story about them! Don’t forget to include details of their day-to-day lives as well as some internal thoughts and some insight into their fictitious personalities. See that lonely guy sitting in the corner? He saved 10 dogs from a burning building in Yemen. What about that security guard over there? He has a PhD in Physics AND he’s an expert at playing the accordion! Another fun idea is to re-write the ending to your favorite movies!

 

7. Invent your own language.
Teach it to your friends. Share secrets in public and laugh about it.

 

8. Take a nap.
This can be tricky if you’re by yourself, but if you’re traveling with a group, ask someone to keep an eye on you and snooze away!

 

9. Reminisce.
This would be the perfect time to review all those photos you took and delete the unwanted ones!

 

10. Enjoy the wait.
As long as you’re at the airport, you’re still on vacation. So stop worrying about the little stuff and just relax. Life will always be complicated and stressful, but that doesn’t mean you have to think about it right now 🙂