By Annika Carr

It’s a Friday night. Classes are finally over for the week, and you want to do something fun. Getting off campus can be hard, since there are only so many parking permits to go around – or maybe you just enjoy staying in to do something more low-key. Regardless of why you end up staying in, here are seven things you can do without leaving the comfort of your dorm room!

1. Movie night

Starting off with a classic: everyone loves movie night. Get the roommates together, or maybe some friends from down the hall, and watch a movie (or two…or three). Popcorn or any other movie-watching snacks you love are just a short Target shuttle away. It doesn’t get simpler than this.

2. Manicure/spa night

Now, fellas, before you scroll to the next idea, hear me out. All of you know a girl who would be willing to show you the ropes of rest and relaxation that comes from a little self-care. Put on some music, throw on “The Bachelor/Bachelorette” to heckle or reruns of my personal favorite self-care TV show, “The Office”, and just have a good time. 

3. Read a book

This list wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t recommend that you pick up a book– for fun– and give it a read. Finding a way over to Barnes & Noble is not required for this activity to succeed: 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 that has most of the classic Young Adult fiction we grew up with as kids and plenty of new titles for you to explore.

4. Game night with a twist

It’s always fun to watch games and other competition shows on TV, but why not do it yourself? You can easily do a “Family Feud”-style competition between two suites, play “Minute to Win It” games with your roommates, or even hold a floor version of “America’s Got Talent”. If turning TV into reality isn’t your thing, there are conventional board games available for rent in the Bethel Library.

5. 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 to Marie Kondo your dorm, but I’m not saying to throw all your stuff away, because honestly most of my textbooks don’t spark joy 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 is what you can do! Throw on some music and have a cleaning dance party while you’re at it!

6. Try a new hobby

There are hundreds of hobbies that you could potentially pick up, and you can order starter kits from the internet for most of them. Personally, I love to do printed cross stitch (Google will have search results for this I swear) or work on diamond paintings while I catch up on all the YouTube videos that came out during the previous week.

7. Go to bed early

College is hard. We don’t get enough sleep during the week between constant homework and crazy class schedules, so treat yourself and turn in early for the day. You’ll thank yourself tomorrow.