Why do I think I forgot something at the airport

I’m a pretty frequent traveler, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get a low-level sense of panic every time I go to the airport. Did I remember to pack the deodorant? Has my passport fallen out of my bag or disappeared into a wormhole? Did I turn off the lights in my apartment? Did one of the cats escape unnoticed while leaving?

It’s a lot to deal with in my mind, and I’m not alone. On a recent work trip, my editor also revealed that he was at his 47th passport control of the day before 8 am, and the more I ask around, the more it seems that this is a common experience for many travelers.

“We are out of our comfort zone and we are out of a routine that is familiar to us,” Lori Pennington-Gray, Endowed Professor and Director of the Richardson Family SmartState Center for Economic Excellence in Tourism and Economic Development at the University of South Carolina told me. “Something like a passport is a critical document that we need, and we know that losing it can have some impact on our immediate plans and our immediate experience. That adds a little stress as well – the level of importance.”

Pennington-Gray said it’s normal to feel a little overwhelmed when traveling, but she said there are some pretty easy ways to relieve at least some of that stress.

Because we feel out of sorts when we travel

Everything comes to be outside of your usual routine. Even the approach to a big trip can contribute to stress when the day of departure comes.

“There’s a lot of preparation that goes into this and a lot of moving parts. You’re trying to book possibly flights or transportation and accommodations and activities that you’re going to participate in,” Pennington-Gray said. “It’s usually difficult to manage all these things if you don’t plan ahead.”

And even if you plan, he added, traveling can throw a wrench into your routine.

To make sure things stay on track, he said, travelers often “have more awareness,” which can lead to that feeling of stress.

Even travel professionals often feel that things are a little off when they are traveling.

Nadia Henry, a travel consultant who goes by Sparkle professionally, told me she often wonders if she forgot something important.

“My charger, all the time, and if I’ve locked the house, the front door, I’ve set the alarm. I always double check of course to make sure I have my passport, I know it’s a classic “.

Pennington-Gray also said a growing field of academic research is looking at people who feel stressed about abandoning work responsibilities.

“Sometimes the stress is increased because they are trying to take their vacations and get away, but also to maintain the responsibilities they have at home and their workplace,” he said.

It might not be me, but if it is you, I encourage you to unplug harder on your next trip.

How to cope

The easiest way to relieve travel stress is to prepare in a way that feels natural to you. For Pennington-Gray, that means making lists.

“Even though I’m a very experienced traveler, I still use a checklist all the time,” he said.

I’m not much of a list person, but I have a routine that gets me into the travel zone. That included putting my clothes on for the flight the night before and packing my toiletries right before I left.

Beyond the immediate steps related to packing, Pennington-Gray said it’s a good idea to research where you’re going to arrive prepared for the next steps once you land.

For example, figuring out how to get from the airport to your hotel in advance can make the entire trip less stressful.

At the beginning of the academic year, Pennington-Gray said she was traveling in a relatively remote part of Finland and met a couple at the airport who hadn’t done this kind of planning.

“(The couple) took their bags out of baggage claim and said, ‘Can you point me in the direction of the train?’ There was no train. This is a small airport,” he said. Needless to say, the couple looked stressed as they tried to figure out their alternate steps.

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Sparkle said she often puts reminders on her phone to pack essentials and leaves essential items at the door or in her car before leaving. For his clients, he sends a packing checklist five days before departure.

Basically

Whether you travel all the time or take one or two trips a year, breaking out of your routine can leave you feeling off-kilter.

To reduce your stress and help you relax on your travels, it’s a good idea to do what you can to prepare in advance.

Why do I think I forgot something at the airport

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