Nonrev mania, we've all been there.

Nonrev plans are usually made the week before. If you book any earlier than that you won't have a real idea of how flights look. Flight loads are checked and re-checked. Routes are studied and more loads are checked. The night before the trip the standby list is dissected to determine how far down your name falls.

If flights get bad you look into alernate routes or you decide to stick it out and petition the nonrev gods to have pity on your travel plans. After all, as a nonrev your options aren't limitless. But sometimes they do require 'creative re-routing'.

You get up in the morning and check the list. You check the flight again once you check in. You become OCD with the standby list in one hand and your boarding pass in the other. Glancing around the boarding area you can see the others who are just like you. They have their eyes glued to the gate and jump at every name the agent calls. All of you are circling the ticket counter like a pack of hungry wolves. No one dares to get too close for fear of being reprimanded by the gate agent.

Finally the agent calls out the first name, then another. You try desperately to remember whose name was above yours on the list but you were so focused on your own name you weren't really paying attention. They call another name, and it's still not you.

There, was that your name? Did you just hear it? You rush up to the counter. Nonchalantly of course. After all, you were certain you would make this flight, there was never a doubt in your mind. You've got this nonreving thing down to a science.