By Annika Karr
It’s Friday night. Class is finally over for this week and you want to do something fun. It can be difficult to get off campus, so you might just like staying at home to do something more low-key. Regardless of why you end up staying, here are seven things you can do without leaving the comfort of your dorm room!
- movie night
Start with a classic: everyone loves movie nights. Get the roommates together, or maybe some friends from down the hall, and see a movie (or two…or three). Popcorn or other movie snacks you love are just a short destination shuttle away. It’s that easy.
- Manicure/spa evening
So guys, before you flip to the next idea, listen to me. You all know a girl who would be willing to show you the ropes of calm and relaxation that come with a little self-care. Put on some music, put on “The Bachelor” to make you howl, or repeat my personal favorite self-care TV show “The Office” and just have a good time.
- Read a book
This list would not be complete if I did not recommend that you buy a book – for fun – and read it. Finding a way to Barnes & Noble is not required for this activity to be successful: ask your roommates if they have a book you could borrow. Alternatively, there is a full room on the second floor of the Bethel Library featuring most of the classic young adult novels we grew up reading as children and many new titles for you to discover.
- Game night with a difference
It’s always fun to watch games and other competitive programs on TV, but why not yourself? You can easily host a “Family Feud” style competition between two suites, play Minute to Win It games with your roommates, or even host a floor version of America’s Got Talent. If putting TV into reality isn’t your thing, you can borrow traditional board games from the Bethel library.
- Marie Kondo your dorm
I personally don’t believe in getting rid of everything that doesn’t make you happy. I know, I know, I just said your dorm to Marie Kondo, but I’m not saying you should throw away all your stuff because, frankly, most of my textbooks aren’t fun either. What I really mean is, look at how she folds clothes, how she organizes a closet and what she does to maximize space; that’s what you can do! Throw on some music and throw a cleaning dance party while you’re at it!
- Try a new hobby
There are hundreds of hobbies that you could possibly pick up and most of them you can order starter kits off the internet. Personally, I love making printed cross stitches (Google will have search results for this, I swear) or working on diamond paintings while catching up on all the YouTube videos that have come out over the past week.
- Go to bed early
College is hard. We don’t get enough sleep midweek between constant homework and crazy schedules, so treat yourself and get there early for the day. You will thank yourself tomorrow.
