Rachel Krohn: The Pragmatic Best Friend Who Coined “Millennial Ennui”
Overview of Rachel Krohn
Rachel Krohn is a supporting character in Emily Henry’s 2021 novel People We Meet on Vacation. She is a style blogger and influencer based in New York City, but beneath her curated social media feed lies a deeply pragmatic, art-school-educated woman who openly critiques the very industry she works in. Rachel is Poppy Wright’s closest friend in the city and serves as the story’s emotional catalyst: it is Rachel who coins the term “millennial ennui” and urges Poppy to retrace her steps to the last time she was truly happy—a moment that sets the entire novel in motion.
Rachel appears primarily in the first chapter (confirming her introduction in the wine-bar scene) and is referenced later when Poppy seeks therapy from Rachel’s mother, Dr. Sandra Krohn. She also appears in the epilogue when Poppy mentions leaving Rachel a key to water their plants. Though she has limited page time, Rachel’s influence is foundational to the plot and the exploration of themes like happiness, purpose, and authenticity.
Plot Role
Rachel’s plot role is that of the catalyst and the grounding voice. She is the first person Poppy confides in about her dissatisfaction with her dream life. In Chapter 1, after Poppy fails to pitch an inspired summer feature to her boss Swapna, Rachel meets her at a wine bar in Dumbo. There, Poppy admits that despite her dream job, nice apartment, and financial freedom, she feels unhappy. Rachel introduces the concept of “millennial ennui” and advises Poppy to think back to the last time she was truly happy—prompting Poppy to recall her trip to Croatia with Alex Nilsen two years earlier. This moment directly leads to Poppy’s impulsive text to Alex, reigniting the central relationship of the novel.
Rachel also indirectly shapes Poppy’s growth through her mother. When Poppy later seeks therapy, she ends up seeing Dr. Sandra Krohn (Rachel’s mother) after Rachel provides the contact. The therapy sessions help Poppy process her past and eventually lead to her decision to quit travel writing and start a new column. Rachel thus acts as a bridge between Poppy’s crisis and her healing.
Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions
Pragmatism Over Glamour
Rachel is introduced as a “deeply pragmatic person” despite her hazy, aspirational Instagram feed. She hand-washes dishes in four-inch heels, not because she enjoys the aesthetic, but because she finds it soothing. She treats influencing as a job that pays the bills, not as a source of identity. This pragmatism shows in her advice: she does not indulge Poppy’s vague dissatisfaction but instead offers actionable, almost clinical advice. Interpretation: Rachel’s pragmatism likely stems from her art-school training—she sees through the performance of social media and applies that same clear-eyed view to life’s problems.
Honesty and Tough Love
Rachel is blunt. When Poppy tries to be “cute and whimsical,” Rachel shuts that down. She corrects Poppy’s self-deceptions (e.g., “You did drop out of college, babe”) and refuses to let her wallow. Yet she also holds space for Poppy to express her feelings, placing her hand on Poppy’s and staying silent. This balancing act defines Rachel as a loyal friend who cares enough to be honest, not just supportive.
Self-Awareness and Critical Thinking
Rachel openly acknowledges the artificiality of her own career. At the end of each month, she posts unedited outtakes with the caption: “THIS IS A FEED OF CURATED IMAGERY MEANT TO MAKE YOU PINE FOR A LIFE THAT DOES NOT EXIST. I GET PAID FOR THIS.” This performance art, noted in the text, demonstrates her meta-awareness and her discomfort with the influencer culture even as she participates in it. She does not seek contentment from her job; she finds purpose in animal rescue work (running social media for dog rescues). This distinguishes her from Poppy, who has lost purpose after achieving her goals.
Chronological Arc of Rachel in the Novel
Rachel’s presence is concentrated in the early chapters but echoes throughout the story.
- Chapter 1 (wine-bar scene): Rachel listens to Poppy’s confession, coins “millennial ennui,” and advises retracing steps. She also reveals her mother is a therapist.
- Off-stage between chapters: Poppy begins therapy with Dr. Krohn (Rachel’s mother) after Rachel gives her the contact. In Chapter 34, Poppy texts Rachel: “Is Dr. Mom accepting new patients?” Rachel replies with a flippant question about the Pope. She later makes Poppy promise to stick with therapy for a few months, saying “Don’t run from this.”
- Epilogue: Poppy finishes her day and notes that next summer she will leave a key for Rachel to water their plants while she and Alex travel. This small detail shows Rachel remains a trusted friend in the couple’s future life.
Rachel does not undergo a personal arc within the text; she functions as a static character whose stability contrasts with Poppy’s transformation.
Relationships
Rachel and Poppy: Professional-Grade Best Friendship
Poppy describes Rachel as a “professional-grade best friend.” Their friendship began when Poppy first moved to New York, and they bond over being “Fellow Internet People.” They share the ability to ask each other to wait while staging photos of their sandwiches—a mark of understanding the influencer lifestyle. Rachel is the only person in New York to whom Poppy reveals her unhappiness, indicating deep trust. Rachel’s advice is direct and sometimes cynical, but it is always aimed at helping Poppy move forward. The text explicitly states that Poppy “loves Art School Rachel and her Principles,” even when she finds them unnerving.
Rachel and Dr. Sandra Krohn (her mother)
Rachel refuses to see a therapist other than her mother, but Dr. Krohn refuses to treat her own daughter. This impasse is mentioned in Chapter 1, highlighting Rachel’s need for her mother’s wisdom even though she cannot receive it formally. Instead, Rachel relays her mother’s psychological insights to Poppy. This creates a chain of indirect wisdom: from Dr. Krohn to Rachel to Poppy.
Rachel and Alex
Rachel never interacts directly with Alex in the text. However, she is aware of him: Poppy immediately knows her last truly happy moment was with Alex in Croatia, and Rachel’s prompting sets Poppy on the path to reconnecting with him. Rachel’s role is thus instrumental to the central romance, even though she remains outside it.
Key Decisions and Consequences
Rachel’s Decision to Name “Millennial Ennui”
When Poppy describes feeling empty after achieving her goals, Rachel does not dismiss this or offer empty reassurance. Instead, she names the phenomenon: “Millennial ennui.” She then explains the psychology: “the completion of long-term goals often leads to depression.” This decision to frame Poppy’s crisis in intellectual terms (rather than emotional terms) gives Poppy a lens to understand her feelings. Consequence: Poppy stops feeling like an “ungrateful jerk” and begins to see her dissatisfaction as a legitimate problem with a solution: finding new purpose.
Rachel’s Advice to Retrace Steps
Rachel explicitly tells Poppy to “retrace your steps” the way you would look for anything lost. This is a direct quote from Dr. Krohn as relayed by Rachel. Consequence: Poppy remembers Croatia and texts Alex after two years. This decision is the turning point of the novel; without it, Alex and Poppy might never have taken the final summer trip that resolves their relationship.
Rachel’s Push for Therapy
After Poppy’s crisis deepens, Rachel facilitates Poppy’s therapy with her mother. She makes Poppy promise to stick with it for a few months, saying “Don’t run from this.” Consequence: Poppy begins to process her childhood, her feelings about Linfield, and her fears about belonging. This therapy eventually helps her make the decision to quit her job and start a human-interest column, finding fulfillment in ordinary life.
Theme and Symbol Connections
Theme: The Meaning of Happiness and Purpose
Rachel directly articulates the book’s central thematic question: is happiness about achieving goals, or is it about having purpose? She tells Poppy, “purpose matters more than contentment.” This idea drives the entire novel: Poppy must find what gives her meaning beyond professional success. Rachel herself lives by this principle, volunteering for dog rescues while maintaining a critical distance from her influencer persona.
Theme: Authenticity vs. Performance
Rachel’s monthly outtake posts symbolize the critique of curated perfection. She actively works to expose the fiction of social media, yet she continues to participate. This mirrors the novel’s broader tension between the “vacation” version of self (curated, aspirational) and the real self (messy, mundane). Rachel’s willingness to show both sides makes her a symbol of authenticity within a performative world.
Theme: Home and Belonging
Rachel is a born-and-bred Upper West Sider, yet she does not act “adorable” about Poppy being from Ohio. She accepts Poppy’s background without condescension. In the epilogue, Rachel is entrusted with the key to Poppy and Alex’s apartment, indicating she is part of the “home” Poppy has built. Rachel symbolizes the chosen family that roots Poppy in New York while she sorts out her relationship with her hometown.
Symbol: The Wine Bar in Dumbo
Rachel and Poppy’s regular wine bar is the setting for their most important conversations. It is a liminal space—neither home nor work—where honest talk happens. The bar recurs in Chapter 34 when Poppy runs there crying after her encounter with Jason Stanley. The bar represents the safe space Rachel provides.
5 Book-Specific Questions with Direct Answers
1. Why does Rachel refer to her mother as “my therapist” even though she has never been a patient? Rachel says her mother “was being a therapist when she said this,” implying Dr. Krohn dispensed psychological advice outside of formal sessions. Rachel refuses to see any other therapist, so she relies on these informal nuggets. The text states Rachel’s mother “refuses to treat Rachel as a patient,” so Rachel cannot see her professionally.
2. What is the significance of Rachel’s monthly outtake posts? She shares the worst, unedited photos from her shoots with the caption: “THIS IS A FEED OF CURATED IMAGERY MEANT TO MAKE YOU PINE FOR A LIFE THAT DOES NOT EXIST. I GET PAID FOR THIS.” This demonstrates Rachel’s meta-critique of influencer culture and her commitment to honesty, even as she benefits from the system. It also shows her art-school background.
3. How does Rachel’s advice to “retrace your steps” affect the plot? The advice directly causes Poppy to recall her last truly happy moment: two years ago in Croatia with Alex. Poppy then impulsively texts Alex, which reopens their communication after two years of silence. This initial text leads to Poppy’s invitation for a summer trip, which forms the novel’s present-day timeline.
4. Why does Poppy consider Rachel a “professional-grade best friend”? The phrase appears in the text when Poppy describes Rachel. It captures Rachel’s ability to combine genuine emotional support with practical, no-nonsense guidance. Rachel is not just a friend who listens; she actively helps Poppy diagnose her problems and find solutions, treating friendship with the same professionalism she applies to her influencer work.
5. What role does Rachel play in Poppy’s decision to start therapy? After Poppy’s boss Swapna gives her a business card for Dr. Sandra Krohn, Poppy texts Rachel to ask if “Dr. Mom” is accepting new patients. Rachel replies with a flippant joke but later makes Poppy promise to stick with therapy for at least a few months, saying “Don’t run from this.” Rachel thus encourages Poppy to commit to the process, which becomes key to Poppy’s eventual personal growth.