Blanket forts are always a solid way to have fun while avoiding the rainy fall weather.
By Madeline Bartos | Staff Writer
Hibernation isn’t just for bears. Around every October, college students start to stay indoors more and more. The cold rainy weather keeps them burrowed in their dorms aside from the occasional trip to class.
With so much time inside it’s easy to get bored. However, it’s not impossible to beat cabin fever. With a few friends and some creativity, there’s plenty to keep a college student occupied until the weather starts to warm up again. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Blanket Fort
It’s not so much about what you do in your blanket fort when you’re done building, but how much fun you have while building it. All you need are some friends and a few blankets, although you can go the extra mile. Add string lights, use mattresses as extra support, or throw in some pillows. Planning an epic blanket fort and watching it progress into reality is part of the childlike fun, regardless of how you spend your time inside.
Netflix Night
Of course you can watch Netflix alone, but it gets increasingly more fun the more people you add. Invite friends over for Netflix binge watching and ask everyone to bring their favorite snack. You’ll not only find a new favorite show, but a new favorite snack, too. There will be so much to watch and eat it’ll be Thanksgiving break before you know it.
Card Games
Chances are you didn’t bring all your favorite board games with you to college, but you know someone with a deck of cards. Unlike board games, there are endless options for card games. Adding stakes makes it even more interesting. Play poker for snacks or set a prize for the winner of Bullcrap. To make things even more interesting, you can make up your own card game, changing the rules whenever you want and seeing who can keep up.
Video Game Tournament
Find a friend with a game console, set up a bracket (if you’re feeling extra competitive) and see who can take the title of champion. Each game can be an elimination match or a series. Wii Sports, Mario Kart or Halo—they’re all fair game.
Learn Something New
Learning something new is always fun, and it’s even better with a group of friends. Learn the choreography to any Beyoncé song, how to knit a scarf or even something crazy like palm reading. The more off the wall it is, the more opportunities to laugh at yourself and your friends while learning a new skill at the same time.
Indoor Olympics
Take inspiration from “The Office’s” Jim Halpert’s Office Olympics. Make some medals and invent indoor dorm sports to compete. It can be a physical challenge like racing up stairs or a mental challenge like unscrambling words. Compete in whatever you think will be fun—the weirder, the better.
Rearrange your room
You should probably get your roommate’s permission for this one, but rearranging your room could be the rainy day pick-me-up you need. Get some friends to help you move some furniture around, or even just rearrange decor. While you’re at it, you can clean out your closet and donate your clothes to your friends, saving you a trip to Goodwill.
D.I.Y.
All you need to do is get some friends and Pinterest or Google. It’s a lot more fun to make something when you have someone to help you figure out the vague craft instructions. You can even get a super early head start on Christmas presents and start D.I.Y.-ing your friends’ and family’s homemade gifts.
Puzzles
The bigger the puzzle, the better. They’re not exactly fun unless you have a large group of people to pass the time. Put your heads together and you’ll have it done in no time. It also gives you an excuse to complain about how much homework you have instead of actually doing your homework.
