In addition to heavy traffic, constricted leg space and painfully long lines, holiday travel inevitably leaves us with long chunks of unstructured time. And while the youths of America have been primed to fill this space with endless Facebook scrolling and internet surfing, it is time to try a few new methods of filling up these voids. Whether it’s a few hours in the airport or a few days in the car, here are some less popular ways of passing the time without relying on technology.

1. Brainstorm fake answers to the inevitable onslaught of questions that your relatives will ask you at holiday get-togethers. If you haven’t declared a major or figured out what you’re doing with your life, it might be more fun to convince them of professional aspirations that are likely unfamiliar to them, such as dog food tasting or professional bridesmaiding. Questions regarding your relationship status can also be easily embellished.
2. In the event of a layover, take a culinary tour of the airport’s dining selections.
3. In the event of an extended car ride, see how many times you can sing the same song before the driver forcibly removes you from the vehicle.
4. Consider the philosophical implications of sitting there and doing nothing.
5. Identify another waiting passenger and imagine what your lives could be like together. This might also assist you in fabricating a story for the previously mentioned relationship status question.
6. Make a mental list of your New Year’s resolutions.
7. Make a mental list of how you will break your New Year’s resolutions.
8. Exchange suitcases with another traveler for a higher-stakes version of Secret Santa.
9. Attempt to break the world record for staring. Don’t hurt yourself.
10. Appreciate your upcoming time at home with family and friends, even if it takes a while for you to get there.

Happy holidays!

Contact Georgina Grant at gagrant ‘at’ stanford.edu.