Flying Machines

Stephen Sanders is a student at Lander University and an ISA Featured Blogger. He is currently studying abroad with EuroScholars in Geneva, Switzerland.

I have been in a lot of airports. At first it’s frustrating, and even a little frightening. But the more you fly, the more you become accustomed to hubbub and interminable lines. Looking back on the first time I’d ever flown and how spastic the whole experience was, I’d like to offer my past self a bit of advice: (1) The moment you step through those glass doors, consider yourself a Stoic. (2) Stop thinking about the airport, and think about how amazing it is that you’re about to fly.

It’s really astounding just how mundane commercial flight has become. For most of human history, people dreamed about escaping into the skies; but Icarus’s wings melted too fast, and Da Vinci’s wicked-looking flying machines…