The long-awaited summer break is finally here!

However, just like every other aspect of life, it comes with bittersweet pros and cons. The pros: it’s summer! The cons: no more formals, football games, Saturday nights in Alex Box, spring bus trips, fun nights at Bogies while you should have been studying for that final, late night talks in the den. The list goes on and on. Mainly, summer means one thing for all of us ladies: a full three months without our sisters.

Now, the panic sets in. Who’s going to loan me that cute Anthro necklace when I go on a date? Who’s going to be my partner in crime at the empty Tigerland? Who’s going to make that weekly trip to Caliente with me just to nomm our little hearts out on queso and margs? Who’s going to eat with me, period?

Unfortunately for most of us, that answer doesn’t include our prized 300 plus sorority sisters. The majority of them have left our haven on West Lakeshore Drive for their own hometowns, summer programs, mission trips and those competitive internships. For those of us remaining in Baton Rouge for various reasons, the summer begins to lack its initial shimmer and shine. However, I propose a challenge to each of you. Below are five primary ways for each of us to overcome Akon’s “Lonely” syndrome. Let’s be real, none of us want to be, oh, so lonely for the duration of this opportunity-filled summer!

1. Focus on you. You’ve been pushed to the limit way too many times with your hectic schedule. You go from one bus trip to another spring formal, back to work then to workout, take a break to study for your strenuous 18 hour course load, spend quality time with your Big and Little, all while fitting in family and all the exec meetings for Panhellenic. Sound about right? Well, it sounds like this summer is just what you need. Start detoxing from your Lilly or Erin Condren planner ASAP!

2. Make Pinterest a reality. We all do it: pin, pin, pin and never follow-up. Take the summer to actually accomplish some of those pins, whether it’s maintaining a healthy lifestyle and doing those eight moves to a better tush workout or reading that summer book list you totally forgot about. Take some time and go through some of those DIY projects for your apartment or for a future Little. Let your creativity flow because once the fall is here, you’ll never have the time!

3. Netflix binge! Break the hiatus. All hail the creator of Netflix. Am I right?! Use this summer to catch up on the recently added season three of Scandal, House Of Cards, Breaking Bad, or whatever other show is on your list that you continuously put on the back burner for One Tree Hill reruns. Although the Scott brothers are essentially my fave heart throbs, they have nothing on Kerry Washington!

4. Go the extra mile. Don’t get your panties in a wad. I don’t mean running. However, if running is your thing then by all means hike up that mileage. I mean traveling those miles to visit your sisters or take the spontaneous road trips you’ve always wanted to go on. Head to the beach on a whim. Book a ticket for your favorite band in concert and travel to see them. While many of us are already ahead of the game and at Hangout Fest, the rest of us need to put our Google caps on and begin planning for those exciting long weekends ahead of us!

5. Prepare for recruitment. We all know you love it. If all else fails, you know you can always get a head start on recruitment preparation. You can never, ever ever have enough. Start shopping for those specified outfits, talking to your mirror or spark up your excitement for the best week of the year: recruitment workshop!

Although a summer minus your sisters may not be ideal, there are ways to get through it. Start that half-marathon training plan you always wanted to try out at the Lakes, spend quality time shopping with Mom, follow through with all the pins or just settle for that Netflix binge with a bag of dark chocolate and your bed that you haven’t seen in weeks or months. Whatever you decide to do, it will be a summer for the books!