I recently flew from Eugene, Oregon to my home in Orange County, California for the holidays and I was pretty nervous to be flying for the first time since Covid-19. It was definitely bizarre being back in the airport and traveling again during this crazy time. I was feeling very anxious while going through security and was told to pull down my face mask so that they were able to confirm that my ID photo matched. Although there weren’t as many people at the airport compared to the old norms, I was still feeling nervous and worried if people were not sitting six feet apart from me while I was waiting for boarding. One of the things that I wish that I could’ve done was planning to sit in a row alone. The plane that I flew in ended up having two seats in each row and unfortunately there was someone sitting next to me the whole ride home. I felt uncomfortable because the spacing was smaller than I hoped. So make sure beforehand that you check your seating arrangment if you are planning to sit alone in your row. One other tip I would also advise is to plan in your ride to the airport in advance. From my roommate’s experience, her taxi had troubleshooting when there was an incident that occurred before their arrival to pick her up and they had to change her driver. Personally, I think it’s better to ask a friend because it is more comfortable to drive with someone you know and can depend on to get you to your flight on time. During this time, I also know that some car services are limited due to Covid-19, but it is another option if you don’t know anyone with a car. Overall, I made it home safely and would say that it’s scary at first, but it’s not as bad once you are prepared. I hope that everyone has safe travels and to know that you are not alone if you are feeling anxious and nervous if it’s also your first time traveling since the pandemic.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Oregon chapter.