Guests relaxing at the pool at the W South Beach.

Most of us don’t get to take a whole lot of

time off during the year. (In fact, you can check out the best and worst places to live

as far as vacation days goes at The Guardian.) So we all have an excuse for why things

tend to get a little crazy on vacation. As the tension drains, we’re still

ourselves, just...different. The holiday "you" will do all kinds of things that

the regular, nine-to-five, workaday you would not -- which is okay, because

you’re on vacation! When you’re on vacation it’s time to get out your comfort

zone, fly your freak flag and live a little -- and if that means donning socks

with sandals, making new "vacation" buddies, and taking a zillion photos -- then so be

it. Accept that there are some things you only do when you’re on vacation, like these 13.

Hotels in this story

Price Dates

W South Beach

1. Make New Best Friends

It’s nice to make new friends and it seems

like finding a new BFF is never easier than when you’re on vacation. All it

takes is sharing the same elevator and then bumping into each other at breakfast; next thing you know, you’re already making plans to meet up after vacation. Sadly,

only six percent of holiday friendships last longer than a month.

2. Lose All Understanding of the Value of Your Currency

Whether or not you’re a frequent traveler,

getting to grips with foreign currency never gets any easier it seems. And when we say

‘”getting to grips,” we mean remembering that you’ve traded your real, hard-earned cash for fake-looking, vacation “play money” in a foreign currency that seems to run out

quicker than it should.

3. Use the Restroom All the Time (Or Not At All)

Leave your regular daily routine behind and

even those with the most reliable bladders include structured bathroom breaks as part of the itinerary. This applies particularly to family vacations or urban getaways, where walking through a foreign metropolis seems to have the power

to shift a person’s internal waterworks way off kilter.

Or the reverse can happen: see #4.

4. Fear Being Robbed

Even those of us who live in the world’s

biggest and busiest (and most dangerous) cities tend to change up our security routine when on

vacation. We like to believe that as soon as we leave our own town, the

likelihood of being targeted by pickpockets grows exponentially. One day you’re

strolling through Manhattan with your wallet casually tucked into your back

pocket, the next you’re smuggling your money on a body belt beneath two layers

on the Paris Metro. Paranoid? Possibly. But, better to be safe than sorry.

5. Tip…and Enjoy It

In Europe, tipping is primarily reserved for restaurants and taxis and

even then, it’s not a particularly common practice. Which is just one more glorious quirk about a

trip to the U.S. for some foreign tourists. Leaving a dollar per drink at the bar or

slapping a five into the hand of the doorman who waved down your cab is a genuine

holiday buzz. Giving away money never felt as fun as it does when you’re on a getaway, and the same goes for U.S. travelers, too. And while we’re on the subject, here’s how to tip like a boss on vacation.

6. Photograph Everything

While you’re attempting to capture the

magic of the Bean in Chicago from every imaginable angle, your vacation time is

slipping away. But while we’d love to tell you to put that camera away and let

your eyes capture the wonders of wherever you are (Jamaica, perhaps?), we

can’t — because who doesn’t love overdoing it on the getaway snaps? Besides, the

more you take, the longer your post-vacation slideshow will last.

7. Drink All Day

The great thing about being on vacation is

that you can tell yourself “it’s five o’ clock somewhere” and potentially be

referring to the home you just left behind. Which is as good an excuse as any

for drinking with breakfast. And lunch. And dinner…And in between.

8. Go Instagram Crazy

You may generally live by your own personal

Instagram maxim of two posts per day but as soon as you touch down in paradise — we’re dreaming about Sydney, Australia this time — that carefully curated account is about to

be flooded in a flurry of photos. Don’t panic, keep posting — you’re on

vacation.

9. Dress Like a Tourist

Thought you’d never rock the tourist look on vacation? Think again. However stylish you may be, sometimes

functionality has to come first. If that means slipping socks under those

sandals to keep them from rubbing, backpacks to stow your spare rain jacket, “sensible” (read: unfashionable) fleeces, fanny packs, and questionable headwear, then, hey, embrace

the look. If it feels good, it looks good, right? Right?!

10. Buy Absurdly Indulgent Local Goods and Souvenirs

Fridge magnets from Cancun, handmade silk kimonos

from Tokyo, gondolier’s hats from Venice, 100% alpaca wool blankets from

Santiago…whether it’s useless knick-knacks or absurdly expensive luxury, when we’re on

vacation, we’ll probably buy it. And there’s nothing we can do to change that.

11. Make Breakfast the Biggest Meal of the Day

When breakfast is included with your hotel

room, the unwritten rule of vacationing says you must make it count. As you

pile up your plate, you tell yourself that this early morning force-feeding

means saving money on lunch. Here’s a look at some of our favorite hotel breakfasts.

12. Spend Way Too Much Money

While we always seem to spend way more

money on vacation than we intend to, there is a case to be made for it not being such a bad thing. Derek Thompson of The Atlantic argues that spending money memories and “buying brief experiences on

vacation” makes us much happier in the long run than surrounding ourselves with stuff.

13. Enjoy the Sound of Your Alarm

Is there any other sustained period of time

in life when you can truly enjoy the sound of your alarm going off quite as

much as when you’re on vacation? Didn’t think so.

Related Links:

9 Reasons You Really Need a Vacation7 of the Quietest Destinations in the WorldThe 5 Times You Should Definitely Not Visit Some of the World’s Most Popular Destinations

*gifs courtesy of Giphy