The Day Before Your Vacation Is a Lawless Time Where Chaos Reigns

Money, time, and sense all go out the window, as TikTok creators keep reminding us.

No matter how much you've planned your trip, there is one 24-hour period in which all the preparation, Excel sheets, and careful research fly out the window, and chaos descends. Last-minute runs to the store to purchase things you absolutely need, like a fresh pair of socks and travel-sized deodorant, plus a regular-sized deodorant for your checked bag. Maybe a third, backup deodorant just in case? (Of what, exactly? Don't ask.) Oh, and you need to get your haircut too, right? Everyone at the tropical beach vacation you are jetting off to will definitely notice and comment on your split ends. Also, don't forget to actually put it all in your suitcase.

These are the thoughts that overtake me. And, based on all of your lovely TikToks, I know I am not alone. As Karley Fiebig, aka @TheNudeLip, puts it: the night before the trip is a lawless, chaotic period of time. "We're busy, we're running all of our errands, we're going to all of our appointments, we're still looking for outfits," Fiebig details.

And she's right. There's so much to do! After weeks, potentially months, of spending every spare moment fantasizing about your trip, it's time to actually get ready to depart for the airport and experience the experience. In the comment section, a bunch of people confirm that this is a somewhat universal experience. "It's 12:36 am and I'm giving myself an at home lash lift," one person writes.

"Prices are no longer an issue- I need it? I'm getting it," writes another.

"… It's hours before you have to leave and you still HAVEN'T SELF TANNED YET," comments someone else.

In fact, on my last trip, a friend getaway to Colombia, one of my dearest friends got her spray tan done… hours before her 14-hour journey from San Diego to Cartagena. Logical? No. Necessary? Absolutely not. Ultimately useful? My friend looked like a cow print canvas bag. Stylish perhaps, but not the sunny golden tan I'm sure she was looking for.

TikToker @ItsVeronicAustin catalogs the all-too-familiar sprint through the travel size section of Target, where suddenly, every mini hygiene product becomes essential. Costs don't come into play. Budgets go out the window. 

Even the most put together of us are still making that last-minute trip to Target. This is a very ASMR, aesthetic-oriented version of the 24 hours before the trip prep that everyone above describes:

Whether you are a "last minute run to the store" day-before-the-tripper or a "nail appointment-hair appointment-wax appointment" day-before-the-tripper, just know that you aren't alone. There's an entire army of us out there. Just maybe try to do the self tanning/spray tanning with enough time to shower before you book your flight. And if you want to try and curb the overpacking on your next trip, we've got you covered there too.

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Opheli Garcia Lawler is a Staff Writer on the News team at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter @opheligarcia and Instagram @opheligarcia.