Evidently, the older we students get, the more we feel like there is never anything (well, anything legal) to do for fun around here. Rather than rebel against our youths, we should instead embrace the simpler times, when creativity, overalls and bubble wrap were all we needed to have a great time.
But admittedly, it would be pretty strange if we all just suddenly started hopscotching around pillow forts and beanie babies. So for nostalgia’s sake, here are seven popular children’s pastimes you can replicate with a teensy bit more sophistication, so you can flash back without feeling too weird about it.
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Have a pumpkin fest: Choosing a batch of small pumpkins to jack-o-lantern at festive pumpkin patches used to be the move as a kid. But now we have new ways of showing appreciation for that big orange gourd. Bring in the fall by inviting friends over to eat some of their favorite pumpkin-flavored treats. Sure it is basic girl overload, but tell the truth: it is also basic girl nirvana.
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Visit a coffee house: Remember teatime? Those days when you would dress up, grab that plastic Disney princess cup set and gossip with stuffed animals? While pouring their drinks from a teapot filled with just plain water? While that seems incredibly “schizo” in retrospective, now you have friends who were NOT sewn and stuffed into existence. So take a friend to a cultured coffee house, where you can have a two-sided conversation.
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Play Top Chef: Easy bake ovens were okay, but now we can reach an actual stove. Make cooking for company funnier by choosing a cheap meal, a timeframe and a friend to cook against. Then have others judge you both on presentation, taste and originality. Loser cleans the dishes.
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Get glam: Playing in your mother’s makeup got you in so much trouble as a child, but luckily, you get to do whatever you want with your face these days. Grab a brave soul and do each other’s makeup, modeling your look after a post on Pinterest or a celebrity on fleek.
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Have a horror movie marathon: Whether it was Chucky the killer doll, Freddy Krueger, or that creepy chick from the well in The Grudge, everyone remembers the one scary movie that had them sleeping in their parents’ bed for three weeks straight afterwards. Watch all the retro horror movies you hated as a kid, then laugh about how stupid they all seem to you now, considering how far technology has come since the dreaded 80s.
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Just play games: Towards the end of the year, going outside becomes increasingly unappealing no matter what age. Indulge in some indoor recess by splitting into teams and playing a bunch of games such as Cards of Humanity or Taboo. Keep tabs of all the winners of each team. Losers buy winners Chipotle with EXTRA guacamole.
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Take a “Field Trip”: Technically, field trips are just another term for living your life without being dictated by an oppressive bell schedule. Nonetheless, they were always a great way to go see things, as opposed to reading about them. Whether you love art, animals, space or marine biology, D.C.’s museums and attractions offer it all for curious minds.