A few months ago, my flight from Boston to Chicago made me realize that common sense isn’t exactly common when you’re 30,000 feet in the air. What was a short, peaceful flight quickly became an uncontrolled competition of who could take up more of the armrest space and who could watch their TikTok videos louder. I can't say I was blameless either. The passive-aggressive exchanges eventually prompted me to kick the back of the seat in front of me each time its occupant reclined further and further into my lap. I concede that we were making the situation far worse than it needed to be. Sure, the seats were uncomfortably close to one another, and yes, the promised in-flight Wi-Fi service that we paid $8 for hardly worked after takeoff. But at the end of the day, we were all united by one fact: we couldn’t wait to get off the plane. So, how can we make these sometimes dreadful trips slightly more bearable?

For starters, your “carry-on” should be just that — something light enough that you can carry it on your own. Don’t bring obnoxiously large bags that take up nearly all of the overhead space around you. Furthermore, headphones are essential for any airplane. The people next to you don’t want to hear your music, and they surely don’t want to hear every word from “Crazy Rich Asians.” Forgot your headphones? Consider the tranquil art of sleeping. But if you choose to sleep, be considerate about how much you recline. When you crank your seat back so far that you can see what the people behind you are watching, the whole plane suffers.

Yes, passengers have paid for their seats and have a right to recline, but the other passengers behind them also paid for their seats and have the right to be just as comfortable (or uncomfortable) as you are. Be considerate of them, and they will, hopefully, be considerate of you. Even if the entire plane ride sucks, at least you won’t make an enemy out of it!

When everyone’s favorite part of the plane comes, deboarding, the most important courtesy comes into play. Stay in your seat until the people in front of you have entered the aisle! After a long flight, the last thing anyone wants is to throw elbows with the impatient man behind them who is trying to cut in front of the deboarding. I can almost guarantee that waiting your turn will get you off a plane much faster than racing in the airplane version of the Kentucky Derby.

With fall break just around the corner, most students who are flying home just want a safe and relaxing flight. I know that after making the early morning trek to O’Hare, there’s nothing I look forward to more than sinking into my seat, watching a movie and eating a snack. While the conditions may not be as luxurious as the private jet I’ve dreamt up in my head, the communal agreement to maintain airplane etiquette will make everyone’s trip just a bit more bearable.