By Riley Dauber
Lifestyle Editor
For the first time all week, you and your friends’ schedules have aligned, meaning you can finally spend some much-needed quality time together — except, no one can decide what to do. The movie you want to watch is not available to stream, all the shops downtown are closed, and the weather is too chilly to don a cute top and head to a party. Instead, you are all left sitting around your dorm, struggling to come up with ways to spend time together.
Fortunately, the following five ideas may provide you with some inspiration for an entertaining evening with your closest group of friends.
Watch a (bad) movie
A movie night may seem like the perfect option, but plenty of problems can arise. Everyone may disagree on which movie to watch, or you may land on the wrong choice. Nothing is worse than wasting your night watching a boring film.
Instead, pick a lighthearted flick or even a controversially bad movie. If only one friend has seen an infamous film, it would be fun to see how everyone reacts to the crazy twists and plot points.
“I kind of watch movies that I know…specific lore about,” senior Caryl Townsend said. “I watched ‘Dreamgirls’ because I knew Jennifer Hudson sang in it.”
Sophomore Seth Horan also loves picking bad movies and providing commentary. Making jokes and comments throughout the movie adds a ton of fun to the viewing experience.
Host a PowerPoint night
While plenty of students are familiar with making presentations for class, some friend groups turn to this format for a night in.
A PowerPoint night is simple in design: each person comes prepared with a presentation on a different topic. The person’s knowledge on the topic adds to the experience; the more they know, the better.
Townsend also suggested pairing a PowerPoint night with a group meal, or have every attendee bring a dish to eat during the presentations.
This event involves more work, but the results are hilarious.
Have a baking competition
If you live in a Western Shore dorm equipped with a renovated kitchen, you and your friends can buy supplies and bake different seasonal goods. Communal kitchens are also available in Sassafrass Hall, Minta Martin, and Caroline House.
The upcoming holiday season means plenty of recipes are available online. You and your friends can bake holiday cookies and decorate them.
To incorporate some competition, have each person bake a different dish and everyone can judge and decide which dish is the best.
If sweet treats are not your favorite, you can also cook meals for your friends and have a dinner party or host a competition to see which meal is each person’s favorite. Not only do you get to share your favorite dish with your friends, but you will also be eating food that is not from the dining hall.
Play board games — or make up your own
If you and your friends brought board games when you moved in, you can host a game night. These plans will encourage some competition within your group, and you can choose from a variety of games.
Even if you do not have any official board games, you can play a bunch of different games with a simple deck of cards.
Or, if you and your friends are feeling creative, you can create your own games. Write people’s names down on slips of paper and play Headbands or Guess Who.
Townsend also suggested playing Smash or Pass but using characters from movies, television shows, or other types of media. Other games like Kiss, Marry, Kill and Never Have I Ever are easy to play and provide plenty of laughs.
Gossip
If you want a simple night in with your friends, sometimes all it takes is sitting around and talking about your weeks. The night becomes even more interesting when you have not seen your friend in a few days, so you can all catch up on recent events and gossip.
“Just hang out. If you like your friends, it should be a good time,” freshman Liam Siobhan Luckey said.
Turning a seemingly boring night into a fun and relaxing time with your friends may take time and creativity, but the end result will hopefully lead to some unforgettable memories.