Commuting in highly populated urban cities like Lagos can be stressful, even those who have their personal cars are constantly complaining so imagine having to sit for hours in traffic, in a jam-packed bus, praying your makeup and general appearance survives the experience and you don’t arrive at your destination looking like the beat up bus you alighted from. To survive some occurrences familiar with the ‘bus life’ please read the tips below;
Your choice of clothing – there are just some types of cloths you should not wear if you do not have a car picking you up from your door step and dropping you off at the entrance of your destination. Men are advised not to wear tight trousers as this will not help in the rush and jumps accustomed to entering a bus or getting on a commercial motorcycle. If a jacket is part of your outfit, you don’t need to wear it until you are almost at your destination. Ladies, please don’t wear tight or too short skirts or dresses or anything that is too long so it won’t get caught in the iron or get stepped on.
Makeup – if you are not comfortable with applying your makeup in the office bathroom, then you can do the basics like filling your eyebrows or using your eyeliner at home before you set out; you can then complete the look at your destination. If you choose to do all the work before you head out, please make sure you use a good primer. There are some products you must have in your purse like blotting sheets and compact powder to get rid of excess oil and keep your look together all day. And if you are bent on applying your makeup on the go, please don’t try to do it all in the bus, have you seen mascara accidents? They are not pretty. Stick to less technical applications like your foundation, powder and lipstick.
Hair – For Ladies and men with long hair or style, if the length of your hair falls beyond the nape of your neck, tie it up while in a bus. It’s amazing how much discomfort it can cause once you start to sweat. And this will prevent you from being a source of discomfort for others around you if your hair keeps flying about.
Survival Kit – Always have a survival kit that includes items for quick fixes. If you can’t carry this around in your bag or briefcase, please have it in your office drawer. Your kit should include lotion or Vaseline in small container, a comb, mirror, disposable wipes, safety pins & a small sewing kit, handkerchief, rubber bands, perfume, deodorant, mints and hand sanitizer.
Personal Hygiene – once you get to your destination, go straight to the bathroom to wash your hands to keep you clean and rid of germs you are bound to pick up from public transportation. You can also wipe your face if you choose.
Shoes – Do not wear high heels when jumping in and out of buses or tricycles for the obvious reason of not falling flat on your face or spraining your ankles. Also do not wear overly fancy shoes because you are bound to get stepped on. Wear nice flat shoes or have them in your bag. If you do not need to change, then make sure you clean your shoes.
Share your mode of transportation – If you are going for a meeting or a social event, I would advise that you take a bus to a stop not too far and complete your trip in a taxi. This is because appearances do matter and sometimes getting down from a bus or motorcycle can leave you feeling a bit disorganized or tired. But sitting down comfortably in a taxi would help you get yourself together, catch your breath and freshen up before you reach your destination.
Try to avoid sitting on the last row at the back, where there is no fresh air and it ridiculously tight and uncomfortable. Commercial tricycles or bikes seem like a better idea because of the wind but they don’t protect you from the rain.
