1. Shower the night before so you don't have to get up and do it in the morning. Unless you are a morning person. Then by all means go ahead and shower at night. But if you are like me and don't really like to be awake without the sun then shower before you go to sleep. Added bonus: it eliminates the need to blow dry.
2. Pack the night before so you don't have to remember things like deodorant when you are stumbling around in the dark at 5:00 in the morning. That way you also don't bother your roommate too much.
3. Check in ahead of time and print your boarding passes. No need to wait in lines if you don't have to be there.
4. Don't check a bag. 48 hours is far to short to need that much stuff and you'll spend an hour waiting on bags. Or they will get lost. Just don't do it. Longer trips sure. Every girl needs her shoes. I know. But three extra pair will fit in a carry on. Trust me. :)
5. But plan ahead for security. Put your liquids (like foundation, perfume, contact solution) into a ziploc at the top of your bag for easy access. Be ready to pull that out at security. Also, wear easy on and off shoes and don't forget to take off your coat. You don't have to take out e-readers but occasionally they don't go through well so just take it out before hand.
6. Now. This part you don't really have control over but in order to have the most comfortable plane flight you should try to have the entire row of 3 seats to yourself. Let me tell you. That is the way to fly from SLC to JFK. Spread out and feet up. Yes please. [In fact, 3 of my 4 flights I had no seat mates. Glorious way to travel.]7. Smile very nicely at the flight attendants and do exactly as they ask. Seat back up, tray table forward. Keep your seatbelt fastened. Turn off ALL electronic devices as soon as they ask. Say hello and how are you. This will be important for step #8.
8. ALWAYS ask for the Biscoff cookies when flying Delta. You do not want peanuts or pretzals. You want these fantastic little spice cookies. If you've been nice and good in step #7 you'll probably get lucky and get a flight attendant who hands you more and says "Here, have some extra. I know it's hard to stop once you start." :)
9. Buy a Kindle [This actually should happen prior to your flight. :) But you understand.] It makes traveling joyful. You can have your textbooks and your pleasure reading all together in a light little book that fits conveniently in your purse. On a similar train of thought, you should have an iPod available to you by now. [Meaning, you don't have to own one - just make sure you can steal your child or siblings for a few days]. If not, get one. And before you leave home, prepare several rockin playlists [favorites, genres, moods, you know so you can just push play on one and get exactly what you need].10. Read The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels - A Love Story while listening to country music. You will be happy. [WARNING: This combination of activities may enduce a compulsive need to find and date and kiss and marry a beautiful cowboy. You have been warned. Also, beware that odds of finding said cowboy to New York are slim to none. Not that I was looking.] [Also, you don't have to be traveling to do this. You should probably do it no matter what.]
11. Always travel with an extra pair of socks in your carry on. On the way home I stayed in my tights and wore extra socks because I'd been so cold on the flight to JFK. Apparently when the temperature outside the plane is like -70 degrees the inside of the plane gets cold too.
12. DO NOT buy a pre-made sandwich in JFK airport. It WILL deceive you. Buy your Vitamin Water [go-go zero - my traveling must have], buy cracked pepper chips, buy something fresh but don't get a sandwich in a package. I'm 2 for 2 now in JFK on AWFUL sandwiches. They smell bad and taste bad. So just DON'T do it.
13. If at all possible, climb onto a plane with the real steps, not the airport gate. You will feel famous and important. Cold, but like a VIP. :)
14. Make sure you can read. This seems obvious but really you won't survive multiple airports without the ability to follow signs.
15. Allow the shuttle or taxi person to help you with your bag. Yes, you are a big girl and dragged it through three airports and lifted it into overhead bins all by yourself. But it's their job. They get paid to help with the bags and open doors, so let them.
16. Plan your outfits in advance but if you are an indecisive outfit picker like me [I typically put on 3 in the morning before I'm satisfied] make sure you bring something extra so you have flexibility. Like I just wasn't in a grey sweater mood so I went with a black sweater and red accents that wasn't originally planned into my outfits but was my spare. Also, probably ask for advice from your roommates. They may pair things you never would have for a killer outfit. And on the note of clothes... make sure you are conscientious when packing so that your slacks don't come out wrinkled or with shoe prints on them. Common sense but easy to forget.
17. Act like you own the place even if you have not a clue what you are doing. Confidence is attractive.
18. Be yourself at your first introduction. How you start off your introductions sets the tone for the rest of your interactions with them and you don't wan to give them a first impression of something you aren't.
19. Once you finish your nightly activities, if you have a hotel room with two flat screen TVs make use of both of them. At the same time. A chick flick and ESPN. CNN and CMT. Does it get better than this? I submit it does not.
20. Sleep in a king size bed with a down throw and 7 pillows all to yourself. You will sleep like a baby and feel fabulous in the morning. :)
21. ALWAYS request a wake up call. Even if you set three alarms on your cell phone and set the alarm clock in the room. The phone call will be different to ensure that you get UP.22. Take a minute to wake up by opening the window and saying good morning to Rochester. Find the beauty in it. Get excited for your day. Then you can start your getting ready routine.
23. Pack granola bars or some other quick food to eat when you wake up. Your body is going to feel weird with time zones and even though you'll probably eat a fabulous breakfast later it will help.
25. Listen to your "I'm awesome" playlist while getting ready. You'll feel ready to take on anything by the time you finish. Plus then your brain can't run away with crazy "what if" or "i'm inadequate" thoughts.
26. Be happy when you finish. Love your hair, makeup, outfit. Your confidence about yourself will be reflected in everything else you do and it's not worth letting your appearance decrease that confidence in yourself.
27. Don't be surprised if you are riding the bus to campus and boys don't offer you a seat. You aren't in Kansas anymore Dorothy. And remember to be grateful for chivalry and say thank yous when you get back to BYU and Provo.
28. ALWAYS eat yogurt and granola when on the East Coast. It's fabulous. It's not a sweet yogurt - [you've been warned] But add the granola and it's a killer combo.
29. Be ready to make small talk. You are being evaluated all day and you are going to look stupid if you don't know how to talk over breakfast but then want to talk when you get into the faculty offices.30. Take advantage of group interviews. It's way comfortable to be there with three people and gives you time to think. But then when you have the floor make sure the things you have to say are worth while.
31. Ask a million questions while you have current graduate students accessible to you. They are one of your best sources for knowledge. Especially when it comes to housing. Or financial aid.
32. Always take a picture of yourself. Even if it's awkward to ask someone to take it for you. You'll never regret taking a picture, only NOT taking one. [A lesson I learned in London.]
33. Note to self: get a GPS. Then when you are driving from the University back to the Hotel with a nice girl you won't get lost. Bonus points if it speaks to you in a British accent.
34. Read a Kindle in a hotel lobby wearing a stellar slack, sweater, heel, and pearl outfit. [WARNING: This may cause attractive men to hit on you beginning with asking a spelling question because you look intelligent. Note to self: Practice spelling. Result: Nothing. Because just as we started really talking my ride to the airport came. Bummer.]
35. Change out of said slacks [less ironing later] and back into jeans for traveling home once you are into the airport. In a bathroom preferably.
36. Don't change your flight to reroute you through Atlanta when Delta offers. Stick with your original plans. [The change was scheduled to put me home 5 minutes later so I didn't want it and then it turned out that the Atlanta plane had technical difficulties and never took off anyway.]
37. Catch up with your sister for an hour while you wait for your flight. Talk just quietly enough that you aren't rude to other people but it's for sure the best use of your sitting and waiting time.
38. Make friends while trying to figure out where your plane is when the Atlanta plane is still in your gate and the screens haven't changed. That way you are at least lost with someone else and not all alone.
39. This was mentioned before, but always, always choose the Biscoff cookies. You will not regret it. :)40. Don't worry about the calories from the cookies. To burn them off just plan to catch a connection in Detroit when your first plane lands at the far end of concourse C and your second plane departs from the far end of concourse A. This will require racewalking from the end of C, down, through a tunnel, up and down a bajillion long terminal. Technically there is a train but no need. Just move it and you'll get there with calories burnt ready for one more flight.
41. Even if you really want to watch the inflight movie, if you are tired just accept it and go to sleep. You won't make it past the title anyways and you could've had another 10 minutes of sleep.
42. Try to sit closer to the middle or back of big planes. Then you don't have to sit and watch the spoiled passengers in first class.
43. Always write down not only which shuttle stop you need in the economy parking lot but also which row you actually parked in. The lot won't look the same at night and it will prevent you from having to push your panic button to locate your car.
44. Blast the music on the way home. Have a dance party while you drive. Don't worry if people judge you. You don't know them. Enjoy every second of it. You deserve it.
45. Crash into your bed and sleep until 11:00 the next morning. Say amusing things in your sleep to make your roommate laugh.
46. Unpack as soon as you wake up to prevent I'm-home-but-don't-really-want-to-be-and-have-no-motivation-to-do-anything syndrome from allowing your room to hurricane into a disaster area and making your roommate hate you.
47. Download pictures off of your camera and write a blog about your trip. :)
