Hot take: The final hour before a planned vacation feels longer than the entire month leading up to it

I had this shower realization that the last sixty minutes before I leave for a trip stretch out impossibly, even though I've been counting down for weeks. It's like every tick of the clock echoes, and I find myself staring at my packed bags, willing time to speed up. I remember once waiting for a flight and watching the departure board, where each minute felt like an eternity of anticipation. How do you handle that weird time warp where excitement somehow slows everything down? Is there a mental trick to make waiting feel less agonizing, or do we just have to endure it? What's your experience with time seeming to bend when you're on the brink of something good?

4 comments

4 Comments

rose_lewis552h ago

Ever considered how your body goes into standby mode? Like, you're physically itching to move, but forced to sit still, and that tension literally warps your sense of time. My leg starts bouncing a mile a minute, and every second drags because my muscles are screaming to already be in transit. It's not just mental, it's a full-system revolt against the pause button.

johnson.gray3h ago

What if, like @max_murphy said, your mind leaving early makes the wait feel empty and endless?

max_murphy3h ago

Ever notice how your brain starts background-processing the actual journey itself (like the mental checklist of airport steps) which somehow makes the present moment feel like a holding cell? It's not just waiting, it's your consciousness already boarding the plane while your body's stuck on the couch. That cognitive split is what stretches the minutes into taffy.

skylerc223h ago

Wow, I used to blame boredom, but max_murphy's cognitive split idea makes perfect sense now.