Yes, you read that right—we ran away from grad school because we were tired AF. In this fall break vlog, I went to Wisconsin (and a tiny bit of Chicago) with my fellow burnt-out grad students because we all needed a reset. The whole “How’s it going?” “It’s going.” thing was getting too real, and I genuinely felt like I was on a treadmill—moving toward an end goal but somehow stuck in the same place. So we found a super cheap Airbnb that could fit 10–12 people, and it ended up being way cozier and nicer than we expected. I share what we did to make the trip doable on a grad student budget (cheap stay, cooking our own food, free spots, student discounts, Costco gas), and I also talk about something I feel strongly about: rest is necessary to work well. We were lucky to have a fall break and chill PIs, because I’ve heard too many toxic stories of people being forced to work even when they’re sick. The highlights were Witches Gulch and Devil’s Lake State Park—towering cliffs, winding trails, crisp autumn air, and that brain-reset feeling you only get when you finally touch some grass. It didn’t erase the deadlines waiting for us, but it made everything feel lighter. If you’re tired too, consider this your sign to pause—because rest isn’t something you earn after working hard. It’s something you need to keep going.