Sometimes in life you reach maturity milestones, whether positive or negative. It’s taken me a while, but halfway-to-50 has given me valuable insight to the utter importance of having girlfriends. Don’t get me wrong; I’ve always cherished my BFFs, but during my times of need, I always retreat to solitary confinement in what Ashley Brooke describes as my internal hermit cave. Well, I gained a new perspective when my love, A, invited me on her girls-only Memorial Day weekend extravaganza. Since we weren’t vacationing for golf, I’m not exactly sure why we ended up in Hilton Head, but in retrospect, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Of course, our first pit stop of the near 6-hour drive was Starbucks for sustenance, and I found my girl O’s quote to be particularly applicable to this venture in life. This tiny little touch from the Bucks truly put my solace-seeking mind in the right place while simultaneously prolonging my nap a few hours.

The car ride alone was therapeutic in itself. Physically watching yourself leave your town/city/state is extremely liberating. As a frequent flyer, I tend to steer clear of long road trips, but I needed the prolonged traveling time to clear my head.

When we first arrived on the charming and teeny-tiny island, obviously Hilton Head Beach was Priority No. 1.

After a rousing evening of drinks, pool, booty dancing, and late night pizza binging, A and I were exhausted. Forget breakfast; all A was talking about was a single Bloody Mary, and as a Bloody Mary virgin, I decided to partake in her bar order. Although it’s not a cocktail I’d order just for kicks, it definitely perked my stomach up.