this post was submitted on 04 Sep 2023
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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.

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[–] Dudwithacake@kbin.social 134 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Unfucking your email. Find all the newsletters from worthless sites and block / unsubscribe. Sightly productive, and brainlessly easy.

[–] theangriestbird 37 points 1 year ago

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.

[–] Sharpiemarker@feddit.de 114 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Tell TSA your username. They'll find something for you to do for 20 hours.

[–] ButtDrugs@lemm.ee 54 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Those are for later πŸ‘€

[–] codblopsii@lemm.ee 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)

Loving the Lahey reference. Might try exploring the airport with a few drinks in your head.

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[–] amio@kbin.social 93 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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".

[–] counselwolf@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 1 year ago (6 children)

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?

[–] chaos 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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.

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[–] ButtDrugs@lemm.ee 8 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Same. I can't sleep at night because my brain won't stfu.

[–] Sodis@feddit.de 7 points 1 year ago

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.

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[–] jet@hackertalks.com 84 points 1 year ago (3 children)

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

[–] ButtDrugs@lemm.ee 33 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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.

[–] lazylion_ca@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 year ago

See if there’s a massage place. A good backrub does wonders.

[–] chepox@sopuli.xyz 8 points 1 year ago

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!

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[–] ripcord@kbin.social 50 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Read a book?

Like, how desperate are you for stimulation that you're making this sound like an emergency?

[–] BarrelAgedBoredom@lemm.ee 14 points 1 year ago

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

[–] XPost3000@lemmy.ml 45 points 1 year ago (4 children)

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

[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 11 points 1 year ago

The number of wiki tabs open on my phone from shit that I intend to finish in the future but rarely make time to do so supports this suggestion.

[–] Acer@lemm.ee 7 points 1 year ago

In a similar vein, TV tropes. It's a well known time sink and you learn a lot about pop culture.

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[–] lazylion_ca@lemmy.ca 38 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)
  1. Go to the tech store in the airport. Buy a cheap chromebook. Open an account on Opalstack. Build a webpage from scratch. Learn a backend language like php or python. Learn git. Maybe set up your own Lemmy instance.

  2. Install Keyboard Designer from the android play store and take a stab at customizing your own keyboard.

  3. Leave the airport and go to a museum or swimming pool or poolhall. Be back in time to go through security.

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[–] StenSaksTapir@feddit.dk 33 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Invent a language, then teach it to a stranger against their will.

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[–] JokeDeity@lemm.ee 28 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Good lord I WISH I could get 20 straight hours where no one bothered me. That's a fucking dream right there.

[–] probably 7 points 1 year ago

The most frustrating thing is when you get that time you want but no access to the things you'd like to do with that time.

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[–] Wirrvogel@feddit.de 28 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I am not very helpful, but don't kill these hours, befriend them!

[–] odigo2020@lemmy.zip 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I disagree, he should kill them...

With kindness!

[–] sylveon@lemmy.blahaj.zone 24 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Slay the Spire is a great game that works well on mobile and has no microtransactions. I’ve played it for 400 hours (on PC) and I’m still not tired of it.

[–] Helix@feddit.de 11 points 1 year ago

Vampire survivors is a good mobile game aswell.

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[–] Caketaco@lemmy.dbzer0.com 21 points 1 year ago (1 children)

https://movie-web.app/

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!

Waitβ€” this was posted 24 hours ago. Oh well.

[–] JohanSkullcrusher@lemm.ee 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

This might not help OP out now but I appreciate it!

[–] Teppichbrand@feddit.de 20 points 1 year ago (1 children)
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[–] Evkob@lemmy.ca 17 points 1 year ago (4 children)

I've been hooked on Sudoku on my phone recently. LibreSudoku is a good Android app.

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[–] shinysquirrel@lemmy.ml 17 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Maybe it there's a bookstore close by you can get a book? I've been really enjoying I am robot by Isaac Asimov. It's sci-fi. It basically tells stories from a future where robots are more capable than humans will ever be. And to stop the robots from rioting there are 3 rules.

  1. Robots can never hurt people, or let them get hurt by doing nothing. (I'm translating from my first language if there's any mistakes I'm sorry)
  2. Unless it interferes with the first rule robots will always obey humans.
  3. Unless it interferes with first and the second rule robots will always protect themselves.
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[–] Ilandar@aussie.zone 16 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Don't kill your time. When you're in the final moments of your life you'll most likely wish you had more, so make the effort to be thankful for every second you have now.

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[–] MazonnaCara89@lemmy.ml 15 points 1 year ago

Streetcomplete to contribute to osm?

[–] AlexWIWA@lemmy.ml 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] tryptaminev@feddit.de 21 points 1 year ago (1 children)

He said 20 hours, not days

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[–] NewlyJaded@lemmy.ca 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Try Vampire Survivors! It's a free mobile game that has no right being as fun as it is. You run around trying to kill monsters and level up your weapons without dying, but you can focus on dodging because all the weapons auto-attack. I'm not sure I'm explaining it super well, but it's worth trying!

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[–] MediumRareChicken@lemmy.ml 13 points 1 year ago (3 children)

There is a Webcomic called Romantically Apocalyptic. It is a visual novel that has been going on for years. The creator just keeps adding. 300 pages.of highly detailed visuals in an eccentric story.

If you end up vibing with the story that'll definitely kill a lot of time.

Name is misleading, as I haven't seen much in the way of romance lol.

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[–] johnthedoe@lemmy.ml 13 points 1 year ago

Man I would love 20hrs to kill by myself. With 7 hours at the airport is leaving the airport an option? Like others have said. Read a book. Get your steps up. Try and do 10,000 steps walking the entire airport. Buy a notepad and draw the people our sights around you

[–] teawrecks@sopuli.xyz 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Is starting a conversation with someone an option?

[–] Fizz@lemmy.nz 16 points 1 year ago
[–] MooseGas@kbin.social 12 points 1 year ago

Start writing your memoirs. Or begin writing a semi-erotic fantasy novel. If you're lucky, the two may be the same thing.

[–] 257m@lemmy.ml 11 points 1 year ago

If you haven't already you can usually ger compensation for delayed flight. Check out the compensation page for the airline your using.

[–] InLikeClint@kbin.social 10 points 1 year ago

3 hours have passed since you posted this and I read it. Time flies!

[–] spauldo@lemmy.ml 9 points 1 year ago

Go outside and sit with the smokers.

Smokers talk. Everyone's equal in the smoke pit. You can meet some really interesting people that way.

A few hours of secondhand smoke won't kill you. Otherwise humanity would have gone extinct in the 70s.

[–] DBT@artemis.camp 9 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I’ve bookmarked all the game suggestions in this thread myself, but haven’t tried any of them yet other than Sudoku. I have the Sudoku.com app.

Badland is a good time-killing game. Having headphones and playing with sound adds to the experience. Not sure if I paid for that one or not.

Minesweeper is a classic one that I don’t think requires internet connection.

Slither.io requires internet but is also a decent time killer.

Airline Commander is one that I’ve downloaded but haven’t tried yet. Airplane simulator that looks interesting.

This is just going through my Games folder on my Home Screen and thinking of which ones I’d play in your situation.

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[–] CCatMan@lemmy.one 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Where is LOTR when you need it?

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[–] crowbar@lemm.ee 8 points 1 year ago

I probably sound very traditional but… talk to someone? Make some friends? Call someone?

[–] root@aussie.zone 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)
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