They were playing soaring classical music when I hugged my mom goodbye in the Portland International Airport. I felt like a character in the opening montage of the movie Love Actually,  my emotions dramatically displayed in front of the American Airlines desk. It felt kind of thrilling, to be honest. The hug with my mom will have to suffice for five months, the period of time I will be studying abroad at Koc University in Istanbul, Turkey. I have never been this far from home before and to be frank with you, I have spent this entire day flying across the globe with my mind piloting back and forth between extreme anxiety and uncontrollable excitement. There has been no rational middle ground reached at any point today. I spent an entire three-hour lay-over at the Dallas, Texas airport worrying about the number of times I had managed to knock into someone with my frighteningly large green backpack. Women washing their hands in bathrooms, small children eating McDonald’s, and unnaturally cheery flight attendants; the list of victims is long and varied. I tried to tell myself it was OK, as #1: It’s not easy to be graceful while balancing three pieces of luggage, and #2: Everything is bigger in Texas. My backpack was just trying to acclimate to the culture around it. Worrying about stupid things like this has proved to be a great way to pass the time today. I recommend it to anyone who is going to be sitting around in rattly metal contraptions and lugging all of their worldly possessions on their backs for extended periods of time. Right now, there are two hours left on my flight to London, England. It is dark and quiet except for the eternal hum of the engine. It is almost done propelling us over the Atlantic Ocean. When I arrive in London, it will be morning. Maybe I will get some tea and crumpets. Whatever crumpets are. Are they bread? Are they a pastry? I will find out and put an end to my ignorance! But right now, sleep sounds nice. Here is my playlist for trying to keep calm through long airplane rides:

1. Right Thing to Do, by SUBTRKT

2. Second Heartbeat, by Shy Girls

3. Sleepless, by Flume

4. Storms, by Fleetwood Mac

5. Sad Dream, by Sky Ferriera

6. I Will Follow You Into the Dark, by Death Cab for Cutie

7. Fast Car, by Tracy Chapman

8. High Road, by Cults

9. You’re Not Good Enough, by Blood Orange

10. Waiting on a Friend, by Rolling Stones

11. Warm Water, by Banks