Ahh, the beauty of higher education. But even the coolest of people can get bored while living in the dorms, so what can a student do to survive? I know cash can be in short supply sometimes so here are some things to do that can pass the time for little or no cash.
1. Movies
These things are great for dates, friends, or a night out on the town. Most towns have a discount or dollar theater. Sometimes you have to do a little digging, but most towns have some kind of discount theater. Or have a movie night with the guys and girls. Either rent or borrow a movie from a friend or family. You can have everyone pitch in for some pizza or some other type of food.
2. Concerts
I know mainstream concerts can cost a lot of money, but keep your ear to the ground. Sometimes you can find an awesome band playing for five bucks. If you have a love for music, talk to people and look at local band fliers. I love to go with girls and guys to shows that feature three bands for a couple of dollars. Sometimes churches and shopping areas will have free musical entertainment during the school year and summer.
3. The coffee shop
This is a really great place to go with both sexes and some board games. I can buy a drink and play with these people for hours on end. Not only can you have a great time with friends, but you can meet new people as well. This might cost five bucks or less depending on where you go. But in the overall scheme of things I have spent many hours with groups of people and one on one conversations until closing time.
Another variation to this is to go to your local Barnes and Noble either alone or with some people. I have gone alone once and found it not to be as fun, but still refreshing to get off the campus. But at a bookstore, you can read books and discuss them with friends. I like to go get a riddle book and my friend and I will riddle back and forth to each other for a couple of hours.
4. Family dinner and game night
I have friends that do not live in the state, so my family will have a game and dinner night. Sometimes they charge a couple of dollars for ingredients and some nights it’s free. But we will go over and eat, drink and play games for two or three hours. This is another inexpensive way to have a good night out. Ask if someone has family in the state and if you can visit for dinner if you pay a small price. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn’t. You have been warned.
5. Board games
The first week I moved into the dorms I played a new board game each night with different people. Now I know most everyone on my floor because of a common denominator. Games, both on a board and in video games. However, this part is dedicated to board games because they cost much less than a video game.
And they are much more portable and do not require hours of gameplay to become a master. Back to the point, common board games like Monopoly, Twister, Taboo, Janga, Clue and Yahtzee are easy and fun to play. These games cost minimal with the most expensive game being twenty-five dollars for Taboo. But they can provide entertainment for hours and hours during the school year.
