I have a strange love for road trips and plane rides.
Though there are certain downsides to traveling — having to wait in massive security lines, having your flight cancelled or, in the case of a road trip, being stuck in terrible traffic — overall, I tend to see the experience as an enjoyable one.
One of the best parts of traveling is people-watching. This is a little bit easier to do in an airport, where there are parents with leash-kids, people yelling at airline representatives and old couples navigating the sea of businessmen rushing toward their gates.
But even on road trips, I love to look into the cars driving by, seeing whether the drivers seem stereotypically matched with their cars, sneaking a look at how cluttered their dashboards are, watching how they interact with the other people in their cars, and judging them if they are doing anything hazardous, like putting on makeup or reading a newspaper.
Occasionally, when I look into the car next to me, the person in that car will look into mine at the same time. We will share the somewhat awkward, somewhat cosmic knowledge we both were interested in observing the other. All right, maybe they just think I am crazy — but either way, I will most likely never see them again, so no matter.
But the thing I love most about car rides, plane rides, train rides, or really any other mode of transportation where you are sitting for an extended period, is you get a built-in window of time during which you don’t have to be anywhere else. You are not rushing from class to class or feeling guilty for not being in the library. Sure, if you are sitting on a plane you may have to do some work during the ride, but ultimately it is a time of low expectations and low pressure.
Especially in planes, there is something liberating about being literally thousands of miles above any assignments and deadlines you have. With your phone turned off, reality can be forgotten for a second.
Even solo road trips can be rewarding. Time to admire the scenery and philosophize about time travel is invaluable. These reveries will not be interrupted by your roommate walking in, by class starting or by the realization you are supposed to be writing a paper. They are all yours.
Unless you are planning on biking or running home for Thanksgiving, take some time to sit back and relax. If you’re a passenger, maybe even lock your backpack in the trunk. Leave the chaos of school behind you and take time to appreciate the journey.
Kelly’s column runs biweekly Tuesdays. She can be reached at k.seegers@cavalierdaily.com.
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