Why vacations feel like they're over before they even start
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)
Selin Malkoc, The Ohio State University
(THE CONVERSATION) When a vacation approaches, do you ever get the feeling that it’s almost over before it starts?
If so, you’re not alone.
In studiesGabriela Tonietto, Sam Maglio, Eric VanEpps and I conducted, we found that about half of the people we surveyed indicated that their upcoming weekend trip felt like it would end as soon as it started.
This feeling can have a ripple effect. It can change the way trips are planned – you might, for example, be less likely to schedule extra activities. At the same time, you might be more likely to splurge on an expensive dinner because you want to make the best of the little time you think you have.
Where does this tendency come from? And can it be avoided?
Not all events are created equal
When people look forward to something, they usually want it to happen as soon as possible and last as long as possible.
We first explored the effect of this attitude in the context of Thanksgiving.
We chose Thanksgiving because almost everyone in the U.S. celebrates it, but not everyone looks forward to it. Some people love the annual family...