Ok, so it’s a Friday night and you’ve got a huge amount of FOMO because every man and his dog is going out to a mad event, but you can’t make it as you fall into one of the following categories:
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You’re so far into your overdraft you’ve started selling your old Yu-Gi-Oh cards on Ebay.
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You’ve got a huge interview at 8am the next morning for Global Corp LTD. International for a graduate job that pays £167k a year.
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You’re just not feeling the Friday vibe (why the hell not!?)
How do you solve such catastrophic dilemmas I hear you cry? Let me take you through 6 brilliant ways to spend a night in.
1. Mad Tinder Sesh
Tinder – as an app and a concept – is filled with controversy and is fully reflective of the desensitised world we are all now part of (see Olivia’s brilliant article here for a look at that). However if you’re looking for something quick and easy to do then having a Tinder session might be the way forward. I for one have never taken the app seriously, so why not join my bandwagon and quit being selective with your ‘liking’ and try out what I like to call the “100 special.” This basically comes down to liking the next 100 profiles (regardless of your personal views) and seeing how many matches you pull. Are you truly an online lothario or are you just another thumb amongst thumbs? You could even set up interesting pranks or challenges for housemates relating to Tinder – the possibilities are endless.
NOTE: This works best when done as part of something else: e.g. watching a movie whilst ‘Tindering’ or eating you dinner whilst ‘Tindering.’
Got me ‘playing’ Tinder like:
2. An ‘Odds’ Bonanza
So, let’s start off with a simple explanation. For those of you who are unaware of what ‘Odds’ is, it’s basically a superb way of getting friends to do the outrageous, the hilarious and often the downright unexplainable.
Technical explanation alert:
Essentially one person states: “Odds on you [insert stupid activity].” The target must then give odds corresponding to the likeliness that they will carry out said activity, for example 5/1 or 25/1. There is then a countdown from 3 to 1 and each person then states a number between the odds offered (1-5 or 1-25 in these examples). If the two people say the same number then the target must fulfil the odds by carrying out the activity.
If that sounds too wordy here is an example:
Charmain: “Oy, Dave! Odds on you going sober to Ocean (a lovely nightclub in Nottingham)?”
Dave: “Erm, I’ll give you 20/1.”
Charmain: “Ok, 3, 2, 1…”
(BOTH TOGETHER): Dave: “18!” Charmain: “18!”
Charmain: “Ah Dave man, you’re gonna have to go Ocean sober. Peak mate!”
Different groups have different variations (such as not being allowed to go above 70/1 as an example), so you can even spend time developing specific boundaries and rules for your house.
With that being said, why not spend a night ‘Oddsing’ (read that: ‘Odds’ and then ‘Ing’) each other until a point where what you’re doing may become highly illegal. You should probably draw a line there…
I remember one special night from my own house’s experience last year, where I was ‘Oddsed’ to pour a 4 pint carton of milk over myself. Of course I lost and the euphoria of the moment led to me belly sliding half naked across the kitchen floor, with the sea of milk providing perfect lubrication. Just some inspiration there!
3. Complete The Ultimate Film Viewing
Technically any film/set of films could fall under this category, however I’m specifically talking about some epics of the modern (ok some are a fair bit older but we’ll get to that) film world. So without further ado, whack on all 8 Harry Potter films and cry endlessly when you remember that this symbolises not only the end of an epic saga, but also that of your childhood. Follow this up by getting your fellowship together to watch the whole Lord of the Rings Trilogy (the three Hobbit films are an optional extra); and then proceed to get your lightsabers out and finish up by watching the current 6 Star Wars films.
If you’re feeling extra adventurous you could even add in all 3 series of The Inbetweeners as well as the two brilliant films that were released. Bish, bash, bosh you’ve completed your journey and are officially a film hero/heroine.
Complete the journey…
And feel like this…
Or more realistically, like this!
4. Play Monopoly
Time to get rid of the meticulous budgeting you have obviously been keeping to for your whole university life. Prepare to let all your inhibitions go by purchasing every property you land on throughout the first rounds, only to realise that there’s no overdraft in the world of Monopoly and that this sucks more than poor-student-life itself.
Great for momentarily forgetting all of your money worries, bringing alliances together (through the trading of properties), but beware – feuds and tantrums are only a dice roll away.
NOTE: Other fun board games are available (see Risk, Game of Life etc.)
5. Have a cooking/baking night
You could be really clever and coincide this alongside an episode of The Great British Bake Off or Come Dine With Me. If you’re feeling extra saucy you might even choose a night when Dinner Date is on.
Whatever you choose to do, having a night where your whole house chips in to make tip-top-din-dins, or you deciding to make some form of baking product (avoid soggy bottoms), is always a good laugh. Not only do you get to eat scrumptious treats but you can also have huge food fights in the comfort of your own home.
Just make sure you’re not the guy in glasses!
6. Drink yourself to sleep
You don’t have to go out to drink you know? Why not treat yourself to the challenge of finding sleep not through tiredness or pills, but in fact through the wonderful process of consuming copious amounts of alcohol. There’s something about the homely setting and a bunch of housemates (close friends are optional) that seems to exponentially decrease your toleration.
Take your poison of choice and I guarantee after a couple of mental drinking games, you’ll be dancing on the ceiling, confessing your awkward love for your housemate (breaking rule number 1 of university here), or falling into a dreamy, warm slumber on your sofa – that’s the ultimate goal right there. Because everyone knows the sofa is comfier than their bed.
When your housemate suggests a quiet drink in…
Do some work?
But this doesn’t really count as an option, so let’s discount it.
Why would you even suggest this?
Edited by Lucy Jackman