Reconnect with friends.
Kaitlin, a freshman at the State University of New York at Plattsburg, recommends getting all one’s home friends together in a big group and going out to dinner. Not only will that get you out of the house for a bit, “but reconnecting with friends is really fun,” says Kaitlin. “Plus, there’s no Mexican restaurants where I go to school, so my friends and I always go out to this Mexican restaurant near my house.” Making vacation traditions with your friends is a fabulous way to make breaks meaningful.

Even if you’re about to tear your hair out, admit it: You really missed your family, your house and, yes, your yapping mutt. So appreciate home with its quirks and idiosyncrasies, and the quality of your vacation will probably improve one hundred and fifty percent.