Ever think you’re having a great day until you log on to insta and see everything you’re not doing? Like jumping whimsically into a clear pool of water, making boomerangs of beachside cocktails, or scrawling “Hello to Koh Samui!!” in cursive over a sunset?

Watching insta stories is like flicking through twenty different possibilities of what you could be doing, making you question all your decisions: why did I go to the movies instead of heading out on a bush walk? How come I went to lunch with my dad instead of hanging out with my friends at the beach? Do I even have any friends??? What if I just sit still and stare at this wall for time immemorial????

The beating yourself up never stops, and it can damn near ruin a perfectly good holiday. Here’s why you need to remind yourself that there’s no “right way” to do a summer break.

Staying At Home Isn’t A Waste Of Time

Just because you’re kicking back in the sweet, sweet air-con rewatching Friends, doesn’t mean your time is better spent elsewhere. You’re enjoying yourself, right? You made a decision to do this, yeah? Then close instagram, sit back and chill out.

What fun activity died and made water-based activities the only thing you can do in summer? There’s loads of ways to spend your much-deserved break and being a homebody is one of the very valid ones. Don’t feel bad about it.

Don’t Underestimate What You’re Doing

Yes, working arduous hours at your part-time job or studying for summer school is a total bore compared to, I don’t know, being in Cambodia. Sure. But it’s also a completely valid, and important, way to spend your break. You need that extra money, you need those extra units – don’t forget the whole reason you’re not “living it up” in the first place.

Everyone Feels The Exact Same Way

The silly part about feeling jealous of other people’s experiences is that they’re probably jealous of another person, too. And that person is jealous of someone else, who feels jealous of someone else, etc, etc, until the end of time and we all go up in flames. Envy is part of the human experience, and it’s totally natural to feel it tugging at the bottom of your stomach – just don’t let it consume you.

Take solace in the fact that everybody feels like they’re not doing it right. There’s no correct answer.

If It’s Really Getting To You, Change It

If you can’t seem to shake the feeling that everyone’s having a better summer than you, then make yours better! Do what you enjoy.

Fill your summer break will all kinds of things that make you happy: whether that be the beach, reading a book in bed or getting a bucket full of popcorn chicken and eating it in front of an open freezer*. LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST. Just don’t compare your summer to the one they show you on insta.

(*Actually me.)

(Lead image: Wet Hot American Summer/Eureka Pictures)