1. Find a good TV show. When selecting a show to watch on Netflix, you have to pick the right one. (I mean if you are going to pay $7.99 every month, you might as well watch shows that are worth it). Pick a show that has a strong character that you can identify with?—?a show that you want to watch all day. The show that when you start watching it, you can’t even blink your eyes because you are afraid that you could miss the best part. “What Show Could That Be” you ask? The show is Scandal.

2. Watch it all day long. You are on summer break and you have no job, no money to go on a vacation or to throw a lit party. So you lie on your bed all day with your big phone (which is the size of your hand) watching Scandal. The only time you are allowed to stand up and walk out of your room is when you have to brush your teeth, take a shower, or order some Chinese food (lo mein in particular because it tastes better when Scandal is on).

3. Choose the right environment. When watching Scandal, you need to pick the right environment. Find the most relaxing and complacent situation. Try different places out; it’s different for everyone. For you, it could be in a bright room with a big screen television and a table you can put your legs on. It could also be the bathroom. Or maybe it is in your room on your soft, comfortable bed with every light turned off, windows closed, blinds pulled down. the only light should be light from your phone reflecting on your face and the unique smell of lavender coming from the air freshener laying lazily on your window.

4. Become Olivia Pope. It doesn’t matter your age, size, race, gender or even shoe size; if you have checked this three steps above, you will start to act like her. You might not notice at first. But then you realize that you started walking differently?—?you walk majestically, your hips swaying side to side in a fast and steady rhythm. You get attracted to white and black clothes. You start drinking red wine when you get stressed out. You find yourself talking assertively to your peers and showing proof of why you are always right.

When you try to pet your cat and he walks away, you find yourself saying, “You don’t get to run. You’re a gladiator. Gladiators don’t run. They fight. They slay dragons. They wipe off the blood. They stitch up their wounds, and they live to fight another day,” and your cat responds by saying “meeoowww,” then you know something is wrong with you and you need to take a break from Scandal for a while.

SNAP OUT OF IT!!!