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What's a gal to do when her group's all over the map for summer break?

Between your bsf backpacking with her sisters in Spain, your neighbor heading off to sleepaway camp and your soccer teammate spending break at her grandma's house, your squad's summer bonding dreams are sorta squashed.

Don't panic just yet: You *can* make the most of vacay, even without IRL hangouts. We've got your guide to taking on summer break solo (plus tips on staying in touch with your long-distance girls), thanks to our latest read, Running on Empty by Jill Williamson (grab your copy here!). 

When summer hits and drama strains her squad, Izzy Valdez is determined to figure out who she *really* is outside of school—leading to tons of life lessons about passion projects, relationships, social media and everything in between.

Consider this the Izzy-worthy inspo you need to make your sunny szn one for the scrapbooks…

1) Make plans (in advance!) for video call nights

You know that PowerPoint night you've been talking about for months? The virtual Scattergories game you've been wanting to try? Now's the perfect time to put it on the calendar. Set up a recurring FaceTime schedule (like Saturdays at 7 p.m. sharp) so your crew still has the space to connect. (Psst: Actually adding the sesh to your agenda ahead of time will minimize the chance of something else popping up).

2) Say yes to everything

Hear us out: Time without your squad can open up opportunities for new connections, like snagging a part-time job at the sporting goods store and catching up with your crush between customers (looking at you, Izzy—well played!).

This summer, say yes to all kinds of invites: Sis wants to sell her new designs? Yep, you'll organize the photo shoot. Hitting up the mini golf course with the cool girl from coding club? That'll be a hole-in-one, tyvm. (Just don't dive in after any stray golf balls, a la Izzy.)

3) Try something new *just* for you

If you’re anything like Izzy, you might not know everything about yourself yet—and that's OK. The way to find out? Pick up a new passion project and see where it leads.

Let your inner hobby girl shine and try something totally unexpected. Need some inspo? Izzy dabbles in candle making, line dancing, crocheting, archery and gardening, just to name just a few.

4) Acknowledge your feelings 

Look, it’s natural to feel lonely without your go-to girls at the ready. But if you bottle up all these emotions (kinda like Izzy does with her friends), you’re bound for a feels-splosion before the end of the summer. 

There's nothing wrong with shooting your bestie a text and telling her how much you miss her. Or talking to your mom about how you're kinda bummed out. Or treating yourself to a self-care day if you're feeling a little sad.

5) This next semester *will* be different

Just like you, your besties change and grow over time—and come the first day of school, chances are your girls will have some new perspectives to share. Instead of getting jealous over the experiences you didn’t have or wishing you could go back to the way things were, meet these changes (which are totally natural, btw) with an open heart.

Showing genuine interest in your friend's summer camp adventures or asking about that cute lifeguard from her IG post won’t hurt—and neither will knowing that *you’ve* changed this summer, too. 💕

Grab your copy of Running on Empty here to get reading!

Slider image: @syd_anastasia

by GL | 7/8/2024