What's in my Carry On Bag

I would consider myself an avid traveler, so packing a carry on bag for a plane ride is a piece of cake. Below are the things I normally take whenever I go on a trip.

Clothing & Accessories

A Jacket

If you’re like me, then you’re always cold. Having a jacket in your carry on, or space for a jacket, is always a good idea. You never know if your seat partner will love blasting the A/C the whole flight.

Sunglasses

I’ve almost forgotten to pack sunglasses so many times. Even if you’re not travelling someplace sunny, it’s always a good idea to pack a pair or two and don’t forget your reading glasses as well!

Food & Drink

Reusable Water Bottle

Fill this up after going through security to save yourself some money! I also find that I always feel really dehydrated while flying, so this is an essential for me.

Gum

Another flying staple; gum helps pop your ears while flying and helps keep your breath smelling nice. Not a fan of gum? Try a chewy candy and bring along some mints instead.

Snacks

Airport food is expensive. Save yourself a few dollars by bringing your own bag of chips or other snacks to munch on.

Electronics

Laptop & Camera

I don’t always fly with my laptop or camera, but when I do, I don’t feel comfortable leaving them in my checked luggage, so I always leave space for them in my carry on.

Charging Cables

Whenever there is a layover or downtime in an airport,
it’s a great opportunity to charge your phone, so you’ll definitely want one of these for your phone or other electronic devices.

Headphones

Whether it’s listening to music or watching a movie, you’ll want to do it without bothering your neighbors.

Toiletries

Chapstick & Lotion

Airplanes are dry! I always find myself reaching for some chapstick and hand lotion whenever I fly.

Deodorant

Trust me on this one. It doesn’t take up much space and it’s a lifesaver.

Makayla’s Favorites

Books

I love reading and being a mile high with no internet gives me the perfect opportunity to catch up on my reading lists. I always bring two books in my carry on, just in case. If you’re a student, like myself, this is also a good time to catch up on some schoolwork. I usually pack one of my school books too, especially for the flight home.

If you don’t like reading as much as I do, then bring along something else to keep you occupied and off your electronics (you’ll thank me later when you have enough battery to order an uber when you get off the plane). Sudoku and crossword puzzles are another personal favorite.

A Notebook

I love writing about my trips in my journal. I try to do this as soon as possible so I don’t forget details and flying home is a great opportunity. Additionally, if I’m using air time to catch up on schoolwork, I might need to write down some notes.

Pens/Pencils

If you have a notebook, then you’ll need something to write with! It also helps to have your own pen whenever you fly out of the country and need to fill out customs forms (blue or black ink only).

Blow-Up Neck Pillow

Space is a commodity when traveling! A neck pillow is a must for comfortable sleeping while flying. Get a blow up one like this to help you be comfortable and save space!


Don’t forget to add your ID, Passport, and some money, then you’ll be ready to hit the runway and head to your destination! Taking a trip soon? I’d love to hear about where you’re going and what your must-haves are in your carry on bag!

Chasin' Waterfalls

“Don’t go chasin’ waters” It’s an inconic song lyric by TLC that we’ve probably all heard at least once before. I’ve visited quite a few waterfalls this year and this was my experience at each.

Dunn River Falls, Jamaica

Nearly every year, my family and I get together with some friends from across the country and go on a cruise (MSC Seaside, if you’re curious). This year we stopped in Jamaica and decided to take part in climbing the Dunn River Falls. Most of us had been to Jamaica before and for many of us, myself included, this was our first time climbing the falls, even though it’s a pretty popular tourist attraction.

Photo courtesy of gojamaicatourism.com

Once we arrived, our guide went to buy our tickets while some of us changed into our watershoes and some of us put on sunscreen. After we made our way inside, we rented lockers, then made our way to the bottom of the falls where we met the guide that would be taking us up the falls and the videographer.

After the guide went over the instructions, we all held hands to make a human chain and started up the waterfall. Now, these falls look so intimidating. I was wondering if I would be able to get up them and how much of a struggle it would be, but these falls were essentially all bark and no bite. Everyone in our group was able to get up them (sometimes with a bit of help if it was a big step) and only one person fell. We also stopped along the way to try out a mini nature-made slide and take a jump into a deeper part.

Overall, our experience was very positive and we would do it again.

What to bring: Watershoes (preferably not sandal style), reliable swimsuit (nobody wants a nip slip), waterproof phone case, and sunscreen. Lockers are available onsite, but cost money.

Avoid if: Pregnant, have balance problems, broken/sprained limbs, dislike water, or you want to avoid the crowds (This is a top tourist attraction, so there will be lots of people).

The Cool Blue Hole, Jamaica

After we left the Dunn River Falls, we headed over to the Cool Blue Hole. At this site, we were able to jump into a natural body of water from tall heights. This place is known for have bright blue water, however, it had rained a few days prior, so it wasn’t very bright or blue.

Photo courtesy of
coolblueholeochorios.com

When our group first arrived, we followed our guides along a path to a large cement platform. We were all given the opportunity to jump from this high platform into the water. I can honestly say this was the highest platform I had jumped from before and it definitely got your adrenaline going. As with most scary, adrenaline-inducing activities, the faster you do it, the less time you have to think and back out. Nonetheless, some of our group opted to climb into the water from a nearby ladder.

This platform was right next to the waterfall and one of our guides jumped from it (definitely something I would have done if given the option).

After, we went over to a rope that we could swing from to get into the water. I found this lots of fun, but others in our group struggled to hold onto the bars.

Lastly, after getting out of the water we were also given the option to jump from a higher “platform”. It was really just an opening between a few trees and I was the only one who decided to jump.

Overall, I appreciated the thrills this place had to offer, but most in our group did not enjoy their experience. The people were very pushy, we felted very rushed, and the place smelled like weed.

What to bring: watershoes, reliable swimsuit (again, no nip slips, please), waterproof phone case (make sure this is very secure, someone in our group lost their phone when it became detached)

Avoid if: pregnant, you’re afraid of water/ open bodies of water, afraid of heights, dislike weed/the smell of weed.

Niagara Falls

One early Saturday morning me and three friends, who also happened to be co-workers, all piled into a car and set off on a roadtrip to Canada, more specifically, Niagara Falls.

We spent the night on the New York side of the falls, so we experienced this side first. After dropping our stuff off at the hotel and grabbing lunch, we headed over to Goat Island, which is where you can view the falls (Did not see any goats there, in case you were wondering).

There are numerous “extras” you can try to make the most out of your trip, like riding the ferry boat, Maid of the Mist, to view the falls, or walking near the bottom (with an option to stand under the falls) on the Cave of Mist tour. Our group was going to do the latter activity, but it was sold out. Instead, we just walked around the park and took tons of pictures.

The next morning, we took the Rainbow Bridge over to Canada to get a glimpse of the falls from the other side. From this perspective, you can truly see the might of the falls. Check out the vlog here.

Extra tip: park on Goat Island! It’s much more expensive to park in New York and walk to the island.

What to bring: comfortable walking shoes, clothes and shoes that you don’t mind getting wet, and things to keep your electronics dry (depending on what you choose to do)

Avoid if: you don’t want to get wet (even the mist is unreal) or you don’t want to do a lot of walking.

Tahquamenon Falls

At the end of August, my family and I took a trip to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. While there, we took a day trip to Tahquamenon Falls. If you don’t know, Tahquamenon has two distinct sets of waterfalls: the Upper and the Lower.

First, we checked out the Lower Falls. You have to walk back through some trails to see it, but it’s pretty nice. People can get really close to the water.

There’s an option to walk between the two sets of falls, but it’s about three miles and we had a short time frame, so we decided to drive to the Upper Falls. You also have to walk a bit to see these too, but the picture is totally worth it.

Overall, these falls were beautiful, and I recommend checking them out, but they were a little underwhelming after visiting Niagara.

What to bring: a jacket and a nice camera.

Avoid if: you can’t do many stairs (there’s tons) or you cannot walk for a long period of time.


Have you visited any of these places before? Or seen a cool waterfall that I should check out? Leave a comment below!

In honor of International Women's Day...

In honor of International Women's Day, I have decided to post my literary analysis of Girl, a short story written by Jamaica Kincaid. I wrote this piece for my literary analysis class in school. The page numbers I reference are from our class textbook.

Kincaid is a Caribbean women of color who regularly contributed to the "Talk of the Town" column in The New Yorker. In 1978, she published her first fictional piece Girl. To read more about Jamaica Kincaid click here or here. To read Girl click here.

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Jamaica Kincaid’s Girl holds a powerful feminist message that still rings true today. This short story is about a young girl being told lessons from an older, female adult figure that readers can infer is her mother. Despite being written in the late 1970s, Kincaid’s message is still relevant today. In today’s society and in Kincaid’s short story, young girls are unfairly forced to grow up sooner than their male counterparts. Instead of playing, as a child should, they must learn to perform basic domestic duties, such as cooking and cleaning. Moreover, seemingly harmless actions by females are sexualized; yet, at the same time, young girls and women are called derogatory names to belittle them and suppress their sexuality. Kincaid develops these points throughout the dialogue, while simultaneously showing how outlandish these ideas are.

To begin with, Kincaid shows that girls and boys are forced grow up differently. While the mother is talking, she talks about boys several times. Nearly three-fourths if the way through the mother’s seemingly endless rant, she tells the young girl “don’t squat down to play marbles- you are not a boy” (356). This is a very clear example of how young boys and young girls are treated differently. While the boys are playing, the girls are forced to take on stereotypical domestic work. Not only does this show the difference between the two genders, but it also shows that girls are forced to grow up earlier than their male counterparts. Thus, Kincaid shows this gender divide perfectly in her writing.

Furthermore, Kincaid’s Girl addresses female sexuality in two ways. As aforementioned, the mother talks about boys and men several times throughout her monologue. The first time boys are commented on is when the speaker says “you mustn’t speak to wharf-rat boys, not even to give directions” (355). Essentially, this is the mother’s way of saying stay away from and don’t talk to bad boys. Obviously this paints the boys negatively, but the mother’s warning is likely related to how others would perceive her daughter if she conversed with such boys. A common theme and phrase iterated by the mother throughout the story is that the girl is “bent on become” a slut (355-356). Talking to a boy is not an excuse to sexualize a girl or call her a slut.  To go further, this derogatory word is meant to demean the young girl for being sexual and suppress her sexuality. Many of the mother’s lessons are to prevent her from becoming that slut or to make the daughter appear as though she is not a slut. Yet, at the same time, she is taught “how to love a man” (356). This is another example of how boys and girls are treated differently that transcends the story. Therefore, Girl touches on how girls are both hypersexualize and sexually suppressed in society.

In addition, the organization of the short story was done intentionally by Kincaid to show how alogical the mother’s teachings are. Throughout the story, the main speaker gives lessons chaotically. Instead of telling the girl everything about cooking, the mother jumps from one point to the next. By organizing the message this way, Kincaid does two things. First, it makes the story more realistic because it is written almost like a train of thought. The mother brings up one point, which reminds her of another, which reminds her of another, and so forth. The second thing this does is show readers how random the lessons or the rules are that the girl in the story and girls in real life have to learn or to follow. Essentially, there is no real rhyme or reason why the lessons are being taught to the girl at this point in time or why they’re being taught to her at all. For example, the mom opens the story telling the girl “Wash the white clothes on Monday and… wash the color clothes on Tuesday…” (355). There is no logic to these instructions and the mother does not offer any explanation as to why the clothes must be washed on Monday and Tuesday or why whites must be on Monday and color clothes on Tuesday. These are just arbitrary instructions, which are then followed by more arbitrary instructions on a different topic.

Similarly, the entire story is one, long, run on sentence. It is broken in two spots by interruptions from the girl, but that never ends the flow of lessons. In the end, it doesn’t conclude with a period, but with this question: “you mean to say that after all you are really going to be the kind of women who the baker won’t let near the bread?” (356). By never concluding a sentence, Kincaid shows how these lessons or instructions pile on top of each other and create an unending stream of lessons for girls, the one in the story and those in real life, to learn and to follow. Likewise, ending it with this demeaning question instead of just ending it with a lesson and a period, not only proves the aforementioned point about sexuality, but also leads readers to believe that there is likely more lessons and rules to follow in the future. If the short story had ended with a period after a lesson, readers could assume that that was the end or the final lesson. However, like the sentences, the lesson are never truly concluded and the question at the end shows that more lessons will likely follow.

Moreover, the point of view and lack of descriptive characters was done purposely by Kincaid to allow any reader to better feel or understand what it is like to be a young girl growing up. This story challenges narration because it does not have a solid beginning, middle, or end. Likewise, the story itself can be read as a recollection or a memory, rather than an event that is taking place at this specific moment in time, especially since it lacks any quotation makes. As a result, the first person narration can also be read as a second person point of view. This perspective in this story truly allows readers to step into the shoes of the girl. By doing this, readers can experience what it feels like to be the girl while they’re reading the story. This is important because it helps readers better understand Kincaid’s message. Another way Kincaid helps readers step into the shoes of her characters is by not making them very descriptive. Kincaid’s characters have no physical descriptions or many defining characteristics. The most notable characteristic is that both characters are likely Caribbean. This inference can be made based on the food the mother teaches her to prepare and the “benna” music (355-356). Kincaid’s characters also lack proper names. This is important and yet another way she makes her story more relatable. The lack of defining features and names allows these two characters to be virtually anyone, including the reader. This, in turn, gives readers a better understanding of how growing up as a girl feels and Kincaid’s message about that unfairness.

In conclusion, Girl is Jamaica Kincaid’s statement on how girls are treated growing up. Primarily, Kincaid shows that young girls and young boys are treated differently growing up. Girl focuses specifically on how girls are unfairly forced to take on domestic roles and grow up sooner than their male counterparts. Furthermore, Girl not only focuses on the hypersexuality of girls, but it also touches on how girls are called derogatory names that are meant to belittle them and stifle sexuality. Moreover, Kincaid uses specific literary devices to show readers that the lessons are arbitrary and unending. Lastly, by not giving her characters names or lengthy descriptions Kincaid makes her story and characters relatable to nearly everyone. Despite being written nearly forty years ago, Kincaid’s story still rings true today. As a society, we can learn from these messages and begin to fix the problems of hypersexuality and treat all kids equally.