Airports are notorious as places where theft is frequent --travelers are so busy looking at schedules and trying to find their gates that they become easy targets for pickpockets. Be alert!
Because there are certain things that you must have on your person during flight (passport, airline ticket, cash, travelers checks, credit cards, etc., international student ID card, if airline requires one, and a letter from the director of Overseas Studies attesting to your student status), you'll have these things near you while you're in the airport. We recommend putting them in a security pouch which should be firmly closed and hidden under a sweater or jacket. Don't put important documents or objects in the open pockets of your luggage! (Our own director of Public Safety once lost a camera this way.)
Expect delays.
Expect questions from airport officials --including whether you packed your own suitcase, whether you're carrying anything for someone else (this is always a bad idea! Don't do it, no matter how benign the request may seem!), and many other questions you may find intrusive. Airport security has increased in recent years, and questioning passengers is part of that movement; it's nothing personal.
When strangers start talking to you, or jostle you, put a hand on your possessions. Most of the time, it's an innocent situation...but pickpocketing works according to the principle of distraction. If your attention is being directed to something by conversation or a physical gesture, be extra aware of where your things are.
And don't leave your bags unattended.
