The days leading up to a vacation are torture. Work needs to get done, but the thoughts of a piña colada in your hand, the sun on your face, the smell of salty water, and, of course, not working, are all way more fascinating. It’s not every day one gets a vacation, compared to yet another RFP – your 8th that week. Can’t work get on the same page and go take a hike? I hear it’ll be beautiful from the top!

At 26, I never thought I’d have a breakdown, but I did. A combo of heartbreak and being overworked did the trick. The two happened so quickly and simultaneously it felt like I was pushed off a speeding bike, or like the rug had been swept from under my feet, leaving me to fall nowhere. Everything was exhausting, and the motions were just being done, life wasn’t being lived; I felt like a zombie. Not even weekends could refresh me.

Half the joy of vacation is who you spend it with. Nothing makes a vacation more enjoyable than spending it with people you love (besides having copious amounts of money to spend). 

Ninety-five percent of my vacations have been with my family. Only one has ever been a vacation with my friends. Pretty sad.

It gets sadder that there’s likely never going to be another friends vacation for us. We’re in the stages of life that include careers, engagements, marriage, and babies, which often makes it difficult to arrange time, even weekend getaways, to see each other. Unfortunately, that’s the sad truth of life and growing up. 

Pure Michigan ads, campaigned by fellow Michigander and actor Tim Allen, don't cover all the greatness that Michigan has to offer.

Vacation. What a wonderful thing. Family. What a blessing. Vacationing with family? It should be wonderful blessing. It’s a time to relax with your loves ones. So why am I suddenly thinking I don’t want to vacation with them? 

“Where are you from?” is one of the most common questions when you met someone new. Where someone is from can tell you a lot about them... whether they can drive in the snow, whether they use ‘you guys’ or ‘y’all’, whether they grew up in a concrete jungle or sprawled suburban wasteland or water-front wonderland, whether they’re familiar with the area or not, and so on. 

“Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars? I could really use a wish right now.” – Airplanes B.O.B featuring Hayley Williams

Everyone on the boat – Check. Enough life jackets – After a minor delay, Check. Gas – Check. Already completed half the trip – Check.

Recently, articles have been popping up about whether you should vacation with your extended family, and the answer is a big, fat YES! Whether your family is close and already does it, or you barely know your cousins and think of them as strangers. You should vacation with your extended family, because something special happens when you do.