I decided this past weekend that I would completely surprise my parents by flying home. I planned it out, bought the ticket, and flew home. They were totally surprised and excited, and the feeling that gave me was indescribable. I thought I would share my experience with every, so they can try themselves!

Step 1: Stalk your family. You’ll need to sharpen your skills for this one because you’re going to have to find out where the whole family is and why, without them questioning you. That means stalking their calendars, scheduling to come home that weekend and then canceling on them and even asking the rest of your family to make fake plans to keep them home that weekend. Do whatever it takes... within reasonable standards.

Step 2: Pay the price. You absolutely cannot charge the airfare or bus fare to any card your parents might pay or even just glance at. If you are one of those proudly independent people, then props to you, you’re a strong person. But if you aren’t, that means you better whip out your debit card and pay up on your own or you will be caught. Don’t let something like a credit card charge be the reason your surprise fails.

Step 3: Be prepared for the shock. You managed to get yourself from school to home without any help and that will freak them out. You also managed to keep a secret from them that was major and that will also freak them out. They are used to you being dependent on them for everything, especially for travel. Just let them fuss over you, and then they’ll get over it and be happy that you are home for the weekend.

Step 4: Plan some family time. Try and talk to an aunt or family friend who will help you coordinate a family dinner or party for everyone to enjoy seeing each other. This is a good chance for you to hang out with your family and see other people in your family. It can also be a great cover for coming home. You are a source of bonding for everyone now.

Step 5: Be happy you did it. It’s incredibly hard to pull off surprises in general, especially ones that require traveling long distances, but surprises like this one are what keep you excited for different parts of life. This helps you master your skills for the future when surprises could be incredibly important. It’s also just fun and good for your mental health to get to do something on this scale and be successful.