| Chris Pine The iPod can be a wondrous device. It is smaller than a deck of cards (or a pack of gum depending on your model), and you can pop in your headphones at any time to listen to music. On a daily basis, we might use it while driving, walking, exercising, relaxing, or throwing a party. An iPod is even more useful while traveling. Unfortunately, there are also some drawbacks to this. This article will discuss some of the pros and cons of travelling with an iPod.
PROS
1. Block out annoying people - This is especially useful if you are flying on a plane. Some people don't bring any entertainment with them onto a long plane ride. Instead, they want YOU to be their entertainment. So they'll attempt to talk to you about the latest celebrity gossip and their husband's grandmother whom they are going to visit. If you are a naturally social person who likes to talk about these things, then you are in luck. Otherwise, simply pop in your headphones and you can tune them out. This method works best if you combine it with closing your eyes. Most people won't engage you if you have headphones on. You can even put your headphones on without any music. Other people won't know that you can still hear them, and they won't bother you.
2. Improve your mood - One of the most amazing things about music is its ability to improve your mood. If you are feeling stressed out from the hassles of travel, simply fire up some of your favorite music. This can be extremely comforting. Long lines and heavy traffic will be less of an issue for you when you can put on your favorite music and just zone out.
3. Educational - Music isn't the only thing you can listen to on your iPod; you can also listen to audio books and other educational programs. An audio book is a great way to catch up on the latest bestseller even if you don't have time to sit down and read. If you are traveling to an unfamiliar area, you can often buy a virtual tour guide audio program. You can walk around Manhattan while a soothing voice describes all the landmarks around you.
CONS
Despite all the great things about traveling with an iPod, there are some drawbacks you should keep in mind.
1. It can be rude - The first benefit we talked about was how you can use the iPod to block out annoying people. Unfortunately, this has a flip side. When you DO want to talk to someone else, they can be turned off by the fact that they are only receiving half of your attention. You may need to ask them to repeat themselves because you couldn't hear them over your music. If you are at a checkout counter, a grocery store, or anywhere else where you might need to interact with people, you might want to consider putting your iPod away.
2. You'll miss out on the new environment - One of the greatest benefits of traveling is that it gets us out of our everyday bubble and allows us to experience life from another perspective. However, if you're listening to the same music that you listened to when you were back at home, then you haven't left your bubble! You're missing out on the sounds of nature, the bustling city streets, and the children playing on the playground as you walk by. These are the sounds of life, and you're missing out on them if you've always got your headphones on.
3. Anti-Social - It's not just that wearing your headphones all the time is rude, you'll also miss out on a lot of everyday sociality. There's a good chance that when you walk down the street with your headphones on, you rarely meet anyone new. You won't be able to chat with new people in line at the coffee shop or that interesting person sitting on the park bench next to you. If you never take your headphones out, there's a good chance you'll never meet anyone new ever again!
Like most things in life, a good balance must be struck when it comes to using an iPod when traveling. It can offer many benefits such as relaxation and education. It can also distract us from our new environment and keep us trapped in our own little bubble. If you keep the above tips in mind, however, you can definitely maximize the benefits of your iPod while eliminating many of the drawbacks.
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One final tip to keep in mind is that it is important to leave your travel destinations better than when you arrived. That means always throwing away your trash. It's easy to find a commercial trash can if you're willing to look around for one. Often they will be in the form of a metal trash can. |
