What are the advantages of arriving early for an appointment?

Well, arriving early definitely gives you time to settle in and mentally prepare. I learned this the hard way during my first half marathon in Shanghai - when I got there with just 15 minutes to spare, I was rushing to find my starting position and barely had time to stretch properly. That early arrival time makes a big difference because it lets you handle unexpected delays too, like when the metro's crowded or you can't find the exact location immediately. Of course, you don't want to arrive ridiculously early either - showing up an hour before might just mean waiting around pointlessly. But that 20-30 minute buffer is usually perfect.