Christina Pellegrini

Ah, your 20s! That golden decade of finding yourself personally, professionally, and, well… if you’re smart—financially. Sure, figuring out your money situation might not be the most enjoyable part of being in your 20s, but arguably, it might be the most important.

When I told people about my upcoming mother–daughter trip to Greece, I got two kinds of responses. The first came from people who thought it was adorable. “Aww, that’s so cute,” they cooed, imagining my mom as the IRL equivalent of the Lorelai Gilmore to my Rory (I do like to read). The other response was something like pity, as women projected their own complicated relationships with their mothers onto my upcoming vacation. But what were my own expectations?

Thanksgiving is almost here, which means a certain autumnal feast is on the horizon, and if you’re lucky enough, you’ll soon be tucking into a delicious meal cooked by your folks. But after the tryptophan has worn off, you might start to realize that while you are really, truly thankful for your family, you’ve sort of forgotten what it’s like to actually live with them. This year, survive the surplus of family time by making a few strategic moves.

Each year, when the leaves start to turn and pumpkin-flavored treats become ubiquitous, we start to think about Thanksgiving and its iconic fall spread. How can your mouth not start watering at the thought of apple pie, roasted turkey, and caramelized harvest veggies? But let’s be honest, Turkey Day is a TON of work.

Sometimes, there’s no beating being home for the holidays: quality time with family and old friends, cozying up into your childhood digs, and, of course, mom’s cooking. But over the years, the downsides of family get-togethers start to become more apparent: being volunteered as the party babysitter, steering your Aunt Marlene away from the eggnog, biting into a bad batch of grandma’s gingerbread cookies… you get the picture.

With Labor Day come and gone (it always happens so fast, doesn’t it?) we can’t help but feel those end-of-summer blues. But just because school’s back in session, that doesn’t mean the rest of us can’t jet off to enjoy those last fleeting warm days. Choose your location wisely, and you could avoid high-season crowds and overpriced hotels, all while soaking in those late summer days.