After spending the past eight months or so living on my own, going on a family vacation - a road trip, nevertheless - was quite a change of pace. Spending a total of more than 20 hours jam packed in a minivan with three other people and about 200 pounds of luggage was quite the experience, but I wouldn’t have rather done it with anyone else.
DO: Make a conscious effort to get along with your sibling(s).
As annoying as they may seem, as loud as they may snore and as different as you may be, surviving your family vacation is much more bearable when you get along. Plus, it’s definitely not as fun making fun of all the lame things your parents do alone.
DON’T: Make a huge scene when things don’t go exactly your way.
In college, you basically have the privilege of doing whatever you want, whenever you want, however you want. Unfortunately, when you’re on family vacation, this privilege is temporarily revoked. Instead of complaining about it, take one for the team and just roll with it.
DO: Take tacky family pictures every time you see something remotely interesting.
Looking back, you’re going to want as much physical evidence of your childhood as humanly possible. Yes, it might be extremely awkward asking the concierge at the hotel you just checked into to take a picture of you and your family standing next to the fountain in the lobby, but you’ll be thankful for it later on.
DON’T: Spend the whole time on your phone.
If you really wanted to, you literally could spend every waking moment of the rest of your summer scrolling through Twitter and playing 1010! In my house at least, it’s a rarity that we’re all in the same place at the same time so when it happens, it’s something not to take for granted.
DO: Listen to your mom when she nags you to wear sunscreen.
Nothing is worse than lying out at the pool on a cloudy day for less than two hours and going inside just to realize you’ve magically transformed into a human lobster. Not only is it extremely painful, but you must surrender all “I-told-you-so” rights to your mom for at least 24 hours, which is almost equally as painful to endure.
DON’T: Waste half your day sleeping in.
I’ll be the first one to admit that I pride sleeping as one of my most passionate hobbies, but when you’re on vacation, waking up before noon is a must. There are only so many hours in the day, especially when your parents are used to going to sleep at literally 9 p.m.
DO: Be thankful.
Regardless of if you’re going to the beach a few hours away or another country a few thousand miles away, being able to go on vacation is something to be grateful for. You're being blessed with delicious food, a break from work and Instagram-worthy sights; the least you could do is say thank you.
DON’T: Be embarrassed.
So, your parents might wear Crocs, buy magnets at every single souvenir shop within a 10-mile radius and insist on taking solo shots of you and your siblings sitting uncomfortably in front of a statue. As socially unacceptable as they may be, you’re stuck with them, so you might as well make the most of it.
