With all the social media we have today, keeping up with old school friends is easier than ever. However, while we can see how life with the old gang goes these days, there’s really nothing like a good old-fashioned reunion to make your lasting friendships feel really special.

Depending on the type of friends you have, it could mean a number of things. Maybe you and the boys wanted to make fun of each other and have a little fun at each other’s expense. Why not get together and have a laugh at the expansion of the waist and the receding of the hair lines? Maybe you and your friends bonded over bad relationships, movie nights, and sharing your dreams. Why not get together and see how marriages, babies, or even long single life have shaped you into adulthood?

Meetings are wonderful, but what no one will tell you is that they can be one of the world’s biggest nightmares to plan. Depending on the type of meeting you are planning and the number of people you are trying to discuss in one place, you are talking about plans that need to start months in advance.

Before you go too far through the meeting process, you should keep these five tips in mind so as not to lose your marbles:

Set the dates ASAP – This is where you and your planning committee should spread the word about the event and find out what dates might work for everyone. It’s important to realize that you won’t be able to please everyone because everyone’s schedules don’t line up. Also, your group may have to give a specific date because the venues you are looking for may have limited availability.

Finalize the number of attendees – Establish deadlines for responses from potential attendees. You need to know how many people will be part of the event so that you can plan the venue, as well as any food or accommodation that may be part of the event. This, along with date setting, will probably be your most difficult tasks.

Delegated Tasks – Do you notice how we mentioned the word “committee”? It takes more than one person to actually plan a meeting. Sure, a little one with a small group of friends might be fine, but if you’re going to a graduation class or a family event, delegating homework will be critical to keeping your sanity.

Don’t go crazy with activities– Although you may want to provide a number of activities for your group, it is also good to sit and hang out together, especially if it has been a long time since you last touched base. Trying to reconnect via a laser tag is not easy.

Find the right place – Although it may be a bit low on the priority list for some, finding the right place to host your meeting is important because you know you can handle it all. If you are working with a place that is also a hotel, you may find that they can handle A / V matters, catering, and hotel reservations without any hassle. This can be good for guests traveling a longer distance.

A reunion is about reconnecting with the people in your past who made life memorable. You want to spend more time making those connections again instead of being completely drained from the meeting planning process. If you organize, plan ahead, spread the workload, and find the perfect place to host, you’re sure to have a great gathering.