How to survive a long flight

It's 1 am and I'm watching my brother pack for his trip abroad for the summer. It's his first flight and naturally he chose the longest one--an eleven hour flight to London, United Kingdom. (like brother like sister) Obviously I am extremely jealous that my brother is visiting my second home, but the excitement I have for him is far greater. It makes me so happy that he will get to experience all the wonderful things that London has to offer as I did. I hope he takes all of it in and truly falls in love with the city, as does all who visit it. I know packing and getting ready for a big trip like this can be extremely nerve-wracking and stressful, not to mention actually going on the flight. For some people, this is the biggest obstacle. When I went to London, it was my first flight as well. So I can tell you from experience-- its a very scary thing! But as I always say, all the best things are. Don't stress, it will all be okay. Before you know it 11 hours will fly by and you will be in a new part of the world you have never been to before, how amazing is that? There's no better feeling in the world. I know, I know, it's still scary. So I've come up with a few tips to help you guys get through it. 1.) Relax. Take a deep breath. Think about all of the amazing things you will be doing. Don't focus on the fact that you are stuck in a seat. Imagine what you will do when you get out of it. The possibilities are endless. 2.) Eat a snack! Nothing is better than comfort food, am I right? They will offer you meals and drinks on the flight, but if you want to munch on some hot cheetos or some candy to take your mind off it, by all means go for it! For some reason having some snacks from home made me feel a little more comfortable in my flight. 3.) Take some Melatonin or natural herbs to help you fall asleep. Traveling to anywhere in Europe is a really long flight from the U.S. If you can't seem to sleep or relax, bring some sleeping aids to help you fall asleep. It is completely understandable that it's hard for you to fall asleep in a big plane you've never been on. So feel free to take something natural to speed up the process.  4.) Watch a Movie or TV show. The airlines always offer a variety of movies, tv shows, and music to watch or listen to on your flight. Trust me it definitely helps. Watch a few of these and before you know it, the captain will be making the announcement that your descending into your destination! 5.) Make a friend! Talking to my roommate on the way there definitely helped ease me through it. She had been on several flights before so she was practically an expert. Even if you don't know the person next to you, make small talk. They could be a local from the country and even give you some tips on the sights to see and places to go. On my flight, I sat next to a londoner and he gave us all of the do's and don'ts for surviving London Life. You never know who you might meet, that is the pure joy of traveling.

No matter if your flight is five hours or ten, flying to somewhere new is always a scary experience. But just remember, it is also a very exciting one. Don't focus on the negative, bad things that could happen, focus on the good! There are so many exciting things ahead of you on your journey. Your flight is only the beginning. :)


xo, Miranda Lopez