Airplanes: small metal tubes in which too many humans are seated side by side, row by row, for hours on end to make it to the place they actually want to go.
Airplanes are silent, other than the loud clack of keyboards, the whistle of your air vent and the polite questions of flight attendants passing out snacks. Airplanes are known to be restricting, frustrating and never ending.
Maybe I’ve been trapped on a plane for too long, but I think sometimes, for some people, college can feel like an airplane.
You’re surrounded by people you do not know, in a space that can feel way too small, and endure a seemingly never ending time waiting until you can get to your final destination: “the real world.” I know I’ve felt like there’s a noise that drowns out any sleep or peace I might get and everyone around can feel grumpy or paid to be nice to me.
But here’s the thing about airplanes: they’re incredible. You’re flying on a chunk of metal that should have never left the ground, zooming 1,000 miles an hour over land and sea surrounded by people who live completely different lives than you and you’re all experiencing it together.
My best plane rides are the ones where I’ve gotten to know the person next to me, stared out the window at the sunset or just found the time to relax, put in my headphones and breathe. And maybe this is the “buckle seat belt” sign you need.
College isn’t over yet, so if you ever feel like you’re trapped on a plane ride, remember how incredible it is. You’re flying towards your future everyday, learning and living with incredible people who can teach you amazing things and you’ll only have this moment now.
Maybe you need to step out of your comfort zone and talk to the person next to you, or to look at the window to see the beautiful place we’re in, or maybe you need to find a place of peace and quiet to remember what it means to just breathe.
So I encourage you to buckle up and settle in. You’re only on this plane ride once, so make it memorable and enjoy the ride.
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