Plan a trip with a friend, then have them ditch you. This will by far be the easiest part. If you’re anything like me you’ve somehow surrounded yourself with a group of friends who are so cool and smart that they’re literally all in medical school or some kind of PhD program. Your other friends, are probably also in residency with different vacation schedules. Or they work for a tech company. These aren’t specific examples at all. Once you realize that you have no more friends, you’ll be faced with a critical decision: sit at home for two weeks alone or book a trip by yourself and see what happens.

Pick a cool place that fills your vacation needs. Like me, your ideal vacation may include Instagrammable locations, great food, relaxation and some adventure. My government assigned FBI agent knows me quite well and saw it fit that I stumble across the perfect Mediterranean and Moroccan inspired resort while mindlessly scrolling on Instagram one day. Swipe up and scroll through the website for 15 minutes before deciding that the free breakfast and poolside massages are just what you need. Bring out your credit card.

Be impulsive and book 2 nights at this pricey resort. Justify the price to yourself by reasoning that if your friends didn’t secretly hate you that you probably would have spent the same amount during a 5 day trip with them. It’ll also be helpful to forget that resorts have wild taxes and fees, so the price you’re looking at is $100 cheaper than the total you’ll be charged at checkout. The website may keep the taxes and fees hidden until you’ve entered your credit card info and checkout is complete. Once you realize the actual price of your stay, you’ll need to close the tab you initially opened up to look at flights. The taxes and fees have left you destitute. Yeen flying nowhere, sweetie! Better get your oil changed and put some air in your tires, because you’ve just signed yourself up for a roaddddd trippppp. Even in California, gas is cheaper than flights.

Shop as if you’ll have friends to take pics of your outfits. Then book a hair appointment to get your newly dyed blonde hair straightened for the first time because it matches the aesthetic you’re going for and you can’t afford to waste a silk press on the crusty hospital wards.

Blow the dust off of the expensive camera and lense you ditched for your new iPhone. Even though you have no friends, you could TOTALLY buy a tripod and put your camera on self timer. Or you could have strangers take your photo because they feel sorry for you. Consider finally getting Apple Care so your phone is insured in case you accidentally get it snatched or dropped by the miscreant you asked to take your pics. Then remember that you spent all your money on the resort and decide against it. It’s in God’s hands now.

Binge watch YouTube videos on how to take pictures of yourself while on vacation. Edit them and throw them on IG. Conveniently forget to mention that you’re traveling alone and again have no friends.

Set an agenda for your trip. Revisit that blog you’ve been neglecting (hi). Journal. Make a list of restaurants you want to visit and places you want to go. Make sure they’re instagrammable so you can document your rarely straightened hair against pretty backdrops.

Consider a crash diet. You’re a busy girl and will need an arsenal of thirst traps for the niggas of your choosing to tie you over for the next few months when you go back to slave labor at work.

Have so much fun that you forget you have no friends and are vacationing by yourself because you had no choice. Revel in being alone and undisturbed. Become comfortable with silence. Embrace boredom. Lay out in the sun without an agenda (but not too long so you don’t sweat your hair out). Eat a lot of good food and get a massage every day. Finish that book you’ve been reading for 6 months. Start planning your next solo trip, but this time on purpose.