It can be dreadful, I know. Going home and visiting family members during fall break seems like such a task these days. Between arguments over politics and your parents yelling at you for being on your phone too much, it just seems that fall break is a drag. We want a break from classes to relax, but instead, we get hounded by family members. I’ve had to come up with ways to make it more bearable. 

First and foremost, I think it’s important to spend some time with your family when you’re home visiting. They miss you, and they’ve waited a long time to see you. Plus, if you spend time with them instead of confining yourself to your childhood bedroom (guilty), your family is less likely to nag at you. Watch a movie with your entire family. Visit your grandparents. Take a walk with your mom. Cook dinner with your dad. Play “Mario Kart” with your brother. They will all appreciate the time you spend with them. It’s only a few days. You can do it. 

However, it is also important to take time alone. Being around all your family at once can get overwhelming. It is so important to take care of yourself, even if it means taking a breather away from family every so often. Enjoy your morning coffee from the comfort of your own backyard, but do so alone for a few minutes. Tell your family you’ll run and pick up dinner so you can get some solo time in. Take your family dog on a walk around the block by yourself. Even if the only moment you can get to yourself are those first few minutes of the day after you wake up, allow yourself to stay in bed 10 minutes longer than usual. Find a healthy balance between family time and self-care time. 

I know fall break isn’t long, but if you’re able to squeeze in some extra time with a friend from back home, I highly recommend doing so. Even a short coffee date would suffice. It’s important to live a life outside of your family, even when you’re just visiting for a short amount of time. Some people have stressful home lives, and spending some time with friends can help relieve some of the tension built up. Getting out of the house is good for the soul.

Don’t be too hard on yourself if fall break is a less-than-joyful time for you. It happens. The best you can do is to just be as present as you can be, take time for yourself and your own sanity, and meet up with friends who may also be home for their breaks. Breaks tend to go by quickly anyway, so just make the most out of it.