Ask the Expert Big Red Psychologist Offers Five Tips to Optimize Summer Adventures Stories You May Like Back to School, Amid an Ithaca Chill November / December ’23 Trivia Roundup What’s White and Fluffy and Has a Dozen Paws? Alum’s Dog Troupe! According to Prof. Tom Gilovich, there are some key components to making a trip memorable long after you return home By Cornellians staff Illustration by Shea Oleksa Editor’s note: These visuals originally appeared in a LinkedIn post from the University. Psychology professor Tom Gilovich has spent decades studying how people make decisions, and the costs—social, mental, economic, and more—of those judgments. Among his core findings: that happiness is best derived by spending one's resources on experiences rather than material things. The Irene Blecker Rosenfeld Professor of Psychology, he leads the Gilovich Judgment and Belief Lab—JabLab for short—and co-directs the Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics and Decision Research. Jason Koski / Cornell University He also co-teaches a hugely popular behavioral economics course titled “Better Decisions for Life, Love, and Money.” As summer travel season kicks into high gear, Gilovich offers five ingredients to make trips memorable and satisfying. Much of the pleasure from our adventures comes from looking back on them. But because memory is imperfect, try to keep a journal to create a more lasting and richer experience. We remember the size of the thrill over the length of the adventure. Seek out exhilarating activities—even if short lived—to lock in memories you’ll never forget. Stories You May Like Back to School, Amid an Ithaca Chill November / December ’23 Trivia Roundup Make sure your body is prepared for the challenge and know your limits. No matter the adventure, it’s better to have more physical capacity than you need. Bringing your travels back to family and friends—with souvenirs or mementos—helps to share memories. Make time to find gifts early in the trip, and avoid the last-day scramble. A journey’s end is what we tend to remember most. Save a special experience or highlight for your last day, and you’re much more likely to look back on it fondly. Published June 2, 2026 Comments Jill M., Class of 1988 23 Jun, 2026 Thank you for the advice! I will definitely employ the tips! Reply Sandra Condry, Class of 1979 24 Jun, 2026 Tom, good advice. Thank you. Reply MARTIN G. DOLP, Class of 1974 3 Jul, 2026 LOOKING BACK AS OLD MAN I DO FIND THESE CLEAR AND PERSUASIVE TIPS VALIDATED IN MY EXPERIENCE. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THESE WITH US ! Reply Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Class Year Email * Save my name, email, and class year in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ Other stories You may like Ask the Expert Exploring the Widening Chasm Between Urban and Rural Voters Alumni On ‘Undercover Boss,’ a Hotelie Gets His Hands Dirty—Literally Bear Hugs Siblings Turn their Love for Dishing on Media into a Podcast