My 13 hour flight just got delayed 7 hours, I’m stuck at my second airport, and I dont think I’m gonna make it. I have some movies and audio books on my phone, but really only anticipated having to burn the flight time via napping and some media, not 7 hours leading up to it, and I’m pretty sure I’m gonna mentally burn out on passive media.
- I have media on my phone - movies, shows and audio books, but I can only do about 2-3 hours at a stretch before I burn out on those things.
- I have wifi and power both on the ground and on the plane, although I’m sure the connection once we get going isn’t going to be performance enough for online games.
- I have a phone and headset but didn’t bring a laptop because it was just extra bulk I didn’t think I’d need. I don’t have a switch or steam deck or anything neat.
- I have access to the airport lounge, so drinks are free, and I get free drinks on the plane. I don’t want to get wasted or have to pee constantly, so my plan is to jim lahey it.
- I’m intrigued by mobile games, but every one I’ve tried has felt too gimmicky with gambling or freemium BS mechanics. Also tried started valley but it never got me hooked either. I have an android and will buy games if they’re worth it.
- I’m open to any other ideas that could somehow mentally (or physically while on the ground) stimulate me.
- I’m a dude in my 30s with a family and kids, but I’m currently traveling solo.
- I’ve already killed 2 hours on a plane and 2 more on the ground (my planned connection time) doing nothing, I was saving my media trying to avoid burning out on shit before I get on the plane.
- I suck at sleeping when on the go.
- I’m on my 3rd mimosa and bored as fuck.
Help.
Unfucking your email. Find all the newsletters from worthless sites and block / unsubscribe. Sightly productive, and brainlessly easy.
In a similar vein, go through your photos and clean up all the extras and outtakes that you don’t want anymore. Also, star your favorites so they’re easier to find later. This can take hours if you’ve put it off for years.
Ketamine
my man
Not trying to be a contrarian (it just happens!) but boredom will not kill you. In fact, I challenge you to sit and be bored for a good few minutes. It’s good for you. I’m terrible at it myself, but that’s what being a dopamine crack addict will do, I guess.
If you’re out of ideas for things to do, try mindfulness meditation (Waking Up is an app with a bunch of free lessons to get you started) - very little woowoo, just pay cursory attention to something, then when your mind inevitably wanders off, just “notice” and be, well, mindful. It’s like an antidote for boredom, in a weird way, and studies have shown that for whatever reason, it’s good for you.
Myself, I read books for any “random short term downtime”.
I tried this mindfulness thing a few times, and just can’t seem to get the hang of it.
Does the voice in your head distract you?
That’s part of the point, you aren’t necessarily supposed to have an empty mind the whole time. I mean, if you can do that, great, but you aren’t failing if that’s not the case.
Imagine that your thoughts are buses, and your job is to sit at the bus stop and not get on any of them. Just notice them and let them go by. Like a bus stop, you don’t really control what comes by, but you do control which ones you get on board and follow. If you notice that you’ve gotten on a bus, that’s fine, just get off of it and go back to watching. Interesting things can happen if you just watch and notice which thoughts go by, and it’s good practice for noticing what you’re thinking and where you’re going and taking control of it yourself when it’s somewhere you don’t want to go.
Beautifully explained. You remind me of the first lessons when I learned meditation.
Having thoughts isn’t an issue. The issue is engaging with the thought.
You’re sitting there meditating. Then your head goes “hey, I gotta pay my insurance bill”
And then you go, “oh yeah, the insurance bill. For my car. Do I need to change the oil yet? Oh no, I have another like 800 miles to go. What’s 800 miles from here? Cleveland? Man, that LeBron really has some longevity”
Or instead, you could go “I’m meditating”. No judgment though, just point it out. Just note that a thought occurred and redirect your attention to the fact that you’re meditating and to your breath or whatever else. Another thought will come up shortly thereafter. You can just redirect again.
Same. I can’t sleep at night because my brain won’t stfu.
Well, meditation can help you to get better at telling your brain to shut up. Imagine it like training a muscle: in the beginning you won’t be able to lift anything, but as you train it, it gets easier and easier to lift heavy weights.
Don’t worry about it. You will get distracted, and it’s fine. In mindfulness the clue is to just “notice” whatever the intrusive thought (or whatever) is, then resume whatever you were doing. I found it helpful to do the “breath focus” thing and counting them - lost count all the time because that isn’t really the point, it’s just something to do while essentially waiting for your brain to do something. Noticing is the point, both whatever you’re doing and what your brain does when it veers off.
A free and open source online web app for streaming content. They’re committed to no ads, pop ups, or other weird malicious stuff you’d see on other streaming sites. Binge a series or two!
Wait— this was posted 24 hours ago. Oh well.
This might not help OP out now but I appreciate it!
Tell TSA your username. They’ll find something for you to do for 20 hours.
Those are for later 👀
Loving the Lahey reference. Might try exploring the airport with a few drinks in your head.
Getting two birds stoned at the same time
I want to upvote you but your upvotes are at 69 and I don’t want to ruin the magic
In case you get stuck again and need more games:
- DevilutionX (free, open source, needs gamedata) lets you play Diablo1 on Android, very good time killer (you might need to fetch the gamedata somewhere)
- Out There: Omega (paid but one time purchase) is a relaxed starship roguelite
- Battle For Wesnoth (free, open source) fantasy style tactical game
- Jagged Alliance 2 Stracciatella (free, open source, needs gamedata) - Jagged Alliance 2 on Android, tactical RPG, great timekiller like classic UFO or the old Fallout games.
Notable mentions: WorldOfGoo, Human Resource Machine
Invent a language, then teach it to a stranger against their will.
They say teaching is the best way to reinforce what you’ve learned
💀
If the lounge has a shower, do some exercise get that energy out of your system. Then take a shower.
You got 7 hours to kill, do some laps around the airport. Get the energy out. And when you’re ready to rest, play some games on your phone (like a emulator)
And when you get on the flight just veg out
I don’t know about a full workout, since my athletic clothes aren’t available to me, but lugging my shit on laps is a good call just to burn energy. I did a lap of the airport and it was about 45 min, so another mimosa or two at the next lounge then I’ll do another lap or two.
See if there’s a massage place. A good backrub does wonders.
I have had 12+ hour layovers. I knew ahead of time, so a little different, but still what got me through was exercise. I walked the entire airport route. It was a big airport and it took me about 2 hours of brisk walking. Freshen up in the bathroom as best you can afterwards. Rest, watch movie okay a game. Then walk some more. Keep moving. Time will not fly, but it will feel a lot less overwhelming. And you will have done some good to your body and mind.
Also, work. If you can, work ahead and do stuff you will need to do in the next couple of days. You will enjoy that time you are saving later when you are on your own and need it and can use it.
Good luck!
I am not very helpful, but don’t kill these hours, befriend them!
Read a book?
Like, how desperate are you for stimulation that you’re making this sound like an emergency?
Or if you’re attention span is killed like mine, find an audiobook and listen on 2x or 3x. If you happen to have a library card, libby is usually great. Otherwise YouTube has some.
He mentioned that he has audiobooks he was saving for the flight. I get the uneasy, jittery boredom aspect. Especially when you had a reasonable expectation of how your time was meant to be spent and that was disrupted. It’s just lingering frustration and anticipation for what you originally set out to do. For anxious or neurodivergent people that can cause a degree of distress. Especially for something that’s already as unpleasant/stressful as flying. Not that it’s life threatening or can’t be managed. But it’s easy enough to see how his language reflects that mindset, giving it an air of urgency. I’m not saying OP has anxiety or is neurodivergent but it can happen in people without these issues too to varying degrees. They’re just painfully bored. It’s not an emergency, but it can be difficult
Whenever I get stuck in an airport I like to use the opportunity to move around, since you’re not going to have that luxury on your flight.
Airport scavenger hunt:
Easy (1 point)
– Someone trying to explain to a TSA agent why there’s a larger-than-3.4-ounces bottle of shampoo/conditioner/moisturizer in his or her carry-on bag.
– Someone throwing away a bottle of water or newly bought cup of coffee at the TSA checkpoint (get an extra two points if the person is chugging the water or coffee in order not to waste it, or three points if it’s alcohol).
– One person using all the outlets at a charging station for his or her multiple devices.
– The traveler pretending not to know English in order to board the flight before his or her zone is called.
– Someone with a carry-on bag on the chair next to him or her in the waiting area to discourage anyone else from sitting there.
– The vacationer in shorts departing a warm-weather destination for a cold-weather one.
– Someone in a later zone blocking the gate entrance so passengers in earlier zones can’t board.
– The well-dressed business traveler with just a briefcase who is on a cell phone every minute before takeoff.
– The couple standing on both sides of the moving walkway, preventing anyone else from passing them.
Medium (2 points)
– A woman trying on eye shadow, nail polish or perfume at a duty-free shop.
– A gate attendant pretending he or she doesn’t see the person waiting at the desk to ask a question.
– Someone near the check-in desk repacking a suitcase and redistributing items because the bag is too heavy.
– A rowdy school/church group that you hope isn’t on your flight.
– An argument at the ticket counter (add an extra two points if the gate agent is actually remaining friendly and trying to help).
– A small child with a character-themed suitcase/backpack.
Hard (3 points)
– A kid standing on the baggage claim conveyer belt (get an extra point if the kid has actually gone for a ride on it).
– A person fumbling with multiple coins and currencies while trying to pay at a shop or restaurant.
– The backpackers who have clearly been traveling for months and may or may not have dreads (an extra point for dreads).
– The person who arrives late to the airport and begins asking everyone if he or she can cut the line in order to make it to the gate in time.
– The honeymooners (or soon-to-be-married couple) wearing bride and groom apparel.
– Sports team members wearing matching uniforms.
– Someone changing in a bathroom stall (an extra point if he or she uses the sink for face washing or tooth brushing).
I’d recommend reading Wikipedia
More content than you could possibly read, short reads typically, you learn stuff, and you can make games out of it
A game I like to play is to come up with 2 completely unrelated things, start on thing 1, and see if you can get to thing 2 on Wikipedia in 6 tabs or less, using Wikipedia links only
Good lord I WISH I could get 20 straight hours where no one bothered me. That’s a fucking dream right there.
Yeah man, me too
I’m going to guess you’re both parents?
Play Shattered Pixel Dungeon, it’s free and open source.
Love this game. Can get it from fdroid also.
Baba is You. It is one of the best puzzle games ever made, and available on mobile.
