I absolutely hate planning things. Overwhelmed by the flurry of overlapping text messages (I’m more of a texter than a caller), the decisions of where to go and what to do, and the question of when everyone can hang out, I go crazy. Clearly, I should not consider event planning as a future career.

With Christmas Break approaching, I decided to look into potential ways to get my old group of friends together AND maintain my sanity. That led me to Center’d, an online planning tool centered on “people, places, and plans.” According to founders Chandu Thota and Jennifer Dulski, the website is still a “first draft,” but I think it’s amazing!

First of all, it’s free. I am a poor college student, so anything free gets points in my book. All you need to join is a name, an email address, and a zip code. That’s it!

Second of all, it makes planning so easy. Basically, you can make a plan by giving the event a name, a description, a picture (if you want it!), and a privacy setting for who can see it. Simple enough. You can also keep track of RSVPs.

All of this is pretty basic—but here’s what really got me hooked: instead of picking a specific location for the event, you also have an option to allow each invitee to vote on the place! This is perfect for me, since my friends and I often have hour-long debates on where we should eat on Wisconsin Avenue. We often end up listing every restaurant in a 10-mile radius instead of making a decision.

So with a vote, one person makes a list and everyone votes, and miraculously the planning job becomes much, much easier. You can also put the date of the event to a vote, which is a great way to get the biggest crowd.

If you’re having a potluck, you can designate tasks for everyone: someone brings an entrée, someone brings a dessert, someone is in charge of salad. Love it. I might actually plan something again in the future with Center’d, and for me, that’s saying something.

And Center’d doesn’t even stop there. On the homepage, it automatically lists upcoming public events in your area (see, that’s why you needed the zipcode). In fact, I now know about a 5k/10k race at home on January 2nd. This is a fantastic feature for me because I usually end up sitting at home over break complaining that there is “nothing to do.” Center’d can prove me wrong and get me moving.

Just by logging on I’m given suggestions for where to go or what to see! Plus, if I need to fall back on my tried-and-true locations, I can save them in my “Favorites” section for easy access in the future. Center’d also provides searches for holiday-themed events, has ready-made plans to help you through stressful situations (like finding gifts for everyone on your list), and allows you to “explore” your neighborhood and find restaurants, hotels, bakeries, and other businesses you might not have known about before.

I’m using Center’d to keep me entertained and on top of things over Christmas Break. What will you use Center’d for?