I’ve only flown twice in my entire life on very brief flights, and I was incredibly irritable and nervous for both trips. So, I decided that I’d use this trip to Holland as an opportunity to to get past my fear of flying. I flew out of Birmingham to Amsterdam with a single layover in Atlanta. It goes without saying that this was the longest amount of time I’ve ever had to be in the air, but I got through it just fine by prepping a few comfort items.
- Earplugs – Planes are really loud during takeoff, which can stress anyone out. Plus, they help to deal with ear popping. So, wearing earplugs were a must for me.
- Headphones – Long flights provide inflight entertainment (usually a movie), but nothing is more comfortable than your own music. So, prepping a flight playlist to distract yourself is a big help for nervous flyer like me. I actually prefer to put them on over my headphones for extra comfort.
- Blanket and pillow – International flights provide a simple blanket and pillow, but there’s nothing like your own. Personally, I brought my customized “photo blanket” and my grandaddy’s novelty Alabama pillow.
- A good book – You can’t be afraid if you’re engaged, and there’s nothing more engaging than a good book. Lucky for me I had a book to complete for my summer class.
- When all else fails, sleep will save you – No matter how much I prepped, the thought of taking off and landing still terrify me, so I cheated a little bit. I made sure to fall asleep before takeoff, and to to go to sleep again before I landed. Turns out flying’s really not that scary if you’re asleep.
