craft Nights
What is more bonding and fulfilling than spending an evening creating something with your favorite people? More than watching a movie or going out, working on a craft together makes the time you spend more meaningful by sparking conversation and laughter as everyone works. The best part is, when everyone goes home, they have something to remember the night by:)
Magnet Making
This one is great for roomies, or for college girls wanting to add some whimsy to their apartment kitchens. This can go several ways too. Get cookable clay and mold shapes or letters to put all over the fridge and hang things with. Or another really fun idea, especially for roommates, is printing pictures of your faces and different outfits. You can cut them all out and glue magnets on so you can always have tiny magnet roomies on the fridge with new interchangeable outfits each week!
Pumpkin Carving
This is an essential fall activity for both friends and roommates. Everyone needs a homemade Jack-O-Lantern on their front steps this October. Make it even better by turning it into a competition for the scariest, most creative, or most intricate carvings.
Wine Glass or Mug Painting
Run to Goodwill and pick out some plain mugs or get some plastic wine glasses from Hobby Lobby and deck them out. You and your friends will cherish these drink containers for the rest of the year, I guarantee it. Coffee tastes better in a hand-painted mug; trust me on this one.
Local Events
It’s easy to fall into a routine of your favorite spots or favorite activities, but there’s often so much going on in your local community that you don’t know about and that’s worth exploring. Experiment with your friends and make it a goal to get out and engage in local events going on, and try some new spots. Here are some ideas:
Trivia Nights
Test your music or movie knowledge and jump on any trivia night you see in your local area. It’s a fun reason to get out, and there are usually themed ones like Halloween or specific movie franchises.
Jazz Nights/Bars
Jazz bars are often underrated and underappreciated and tend to draw an older crowd simply because not enough people know about them. They often have live music and a cool ambiance that’s the perfect reason for your friends to get dressed up and go out.
Game Nights
Since its popularity in the past couple of years, there have been Mahjong events going on all the time. If you can’t find a game event, make your own. Go bowling as a group or go to your favorite spot at happy hour with a deck of cards and trade off sharing your favorite games with your friends.
The Ballet
Despite what Timothee Chalamet may say, the ballet is alive and well! There are studios and performances going on all the time. The Kansas City Ballet is incredible just performed The Wizard of Oz this month. There will be no shortage of ballet events come November as Nutcracker season begins, so make a holiday evening of it with your girls and prove Timmy wrong!
Local Theaters
Not only is it important to support your local theaters, but it is usually more fun (and cheap!) than going to Regal and AMC. Pack up the car with blankets and snacks and go to your local drive-in on a chilly fall evening; you won’t regret it. Or if you have any old-timey local theaters like Lawrence’s Liberty Hall, do your best to check their showings first before you buy a regular movie theater ticket!
Reading Dates
Used Bookstores
Start out by first purchasing your book from a local used bookstore. Not only is it a cheaper, more sustainable alternative to getting reads on Amazon or from Barnes & Noble, but it also makes book selection more of an experience. Looking through all the dusty bookshelves with no direct motive and discovering a book you’ve never seen or heard of before and then falling in love with it is an experience worth all the time and energy it might take.
Find a New Spot
If you’ve been meaning to explore a new place or drive out of the city into the middle of nowhere, take this reading date as your excuse to bring your friends and make it happy. Just as you did in the used bookstore, allow yourself to get lost and see where you might end up. Make it an adventure!
Find a park and make a picnic
Who doesn’t love a picnic? This adds a whole new layer to the outing as you put together your meal. Whether it be a carefully curated Trader Joe’s charcuterie selection or just a bev and a sweet treat from the store on the way, bring that and a blanket to your local park and settle into the book and the nature around you. P.S. This could make a wonderful solo date too:)
