We unfortunately live in a world where we make plans with people we don’t like. Maybe you were making small talk and used the idea of plans to escape the conversation. Maybe your cool auntie made the jungle juice too strong and you drunkenly told your marathon-running cousin you’d LOVE to see her at your home in New York City. Either way, you made your plans… now you have to lie in them. Here’s what you do.

Start with drinks at your place

It turns out that alcohol is a great way to start conversations. You can enjoy a glass of wine with nearly every adult (or crack open some sparkling grape juice as an alternative), even if you despise the person your sharing with. Drinking is a universal pass-time that almost anyone can enjoy. It’s just an added bonus that it helps people relax, no matter which side of the coffee table you’re on. Just don’t go overboard! The last thing you want is to mistakenly make plans again.

Get Dinner at a Viral Ramen Place

Oh boy! It sure is easy to not talk when the restaurant is loud and you keep yourself busy with eating! Although the crowds suck, it’s a real treat that you won’t be able to hear your cousin’s most recent half-marathon times and how she plans on running differently the next time. “I think next time, I’ll do left-right instead of right-left because blah blah blah blah.” Oh no… she really doesn’t know that no one cares… Too bad the bachelorette party sitting behind you is blowing out your eardrums with their pre-gaming.

Go to that Immersive Show in Times Square

Again, it’s hard to talk to people you hate when you’re actively involved in something else. That’s why we recommend going to the immersive show where you are part of the story. Although there isn’t one based on Snow White, American Immersion Theater’s “Spirits” is a haunting experience based on The Little Mermaid with a dark twist. You get to wear a mask which will hide your expressions of disgust whenever your cousin starts talking about running again. Aside from that, you can use the excuse that you were so impacted by the experience that you need some alone time to think things through. It’s the perfect way to get them to leave. Just start fake crying and run off to your room. Your husband can deal with the awkward goodbyes.

If you haven’t caught on yet…

We’re really excited that immersive theater was referenced on Saturday Night Live over the weekend. The nod to our show, “Spirits,” (and immersive experiences like ours) meant a lot to us, and we’re so grateful to have started our relationship with Blumhouse Productions on Shark Tank back in 2024. Since then, it seems like we’re empowering more people than ever to participate. To our friends at NBC, Sabrina Carpenter, and the cast and crew of Saturday Night Live, thank you for poking fun at us. It made our week.