Whether it’s because all your friends are at sports practice, on a date, or have homework that you’ve already finished, you’re alone for the night. Looks like you’ll be scrolling through the internet in your sweats with a bag of potato chips by your side until your eyes glaze over. But, it doesn’t have to end that way! Take back your night with one of these ten ideas that will give you something to brag about once you’re reunited with your friends.
Workout
Why not do something that will make you feel better than that tub of ice cream? Head on over to your gym, do some crunches, or jump on that treadmill. You can even wear your favorite exercise clothes for a little confidence boost. Listening to your favorite music while you go for an evening jog can be extremely liberating. You’ll probably feel the burn in the morning, but at least you did something proactive.
Clean your room
With nothing to do, you can finally pause and see what a mess you’ve made of your dorm lately. Cleaning up can help you organize your mind, and study better once the next week starts. Turn on some T-Swift, grab your vacuum and have a jam session that makes your room sparkle. You can color code your closet, finally fold your clothes and put them in the right drawers, and even organize your notes for class.
Spa night
You’ve worked hard, you deserve to be pampered, even if you have to do it yourself. Plus, your nails have been begging for some attention. Take your time in the shower, really belt it out while you rinse and repeat. Once you’re clean, you’ll be ready to break out the lotion, face mask, cucumbers, and nail polish. Turn on your favorite flick and you’re ready to ride in to Relaxation Station.
Call home
Does your mother even know if you’re alive? You can’t even remember the last time you updated her on your life. Give her a call, tell her about all the craziness of biology and about that embarrassing moment you had on the bus the other night. Speaking of which, when was the last time you talked to your sister, or your best friend since middle school? You have so much to talk and laugh about, you can probably spend the whole night on the phone, and that’s not bad!
Organize your week
This down time is rare, and you know that soon, you’ll be so busy you can barely breathe. Break out your calendar, all those syllabuses from that very first week, and some highlighters, and take a minute to write out your week. Don’t forget to include all your club meetings, practices, dance nights, friends’ birthdays, and of course, football games! When times get hectic you’ll be grateful for getting things in check.
Decorate your room
You’ve been wanting to make a photo mural ever since you moved in, but that biology course was always holding you back. Now that you’re all caught up, go ahead and go through all those photos on your computer. All the funny photos from previous football games, girls’ nights, family celebrations, have a special spot on your wall. Crank up the tunes and get hanging!
Read a book
Reading something that’s not full of facts that you have to remember could be fun. Try picking up something that can be an easy read and won’t distract you once you get busy again. Something like Nancy Drew or Harry Potter can not only provide leisurely entertainment, but can take you back to an easier time when you weren’t so bogged down by exams and professors.
Do some DIY projects
Finally, you have time to actually make the things you see while scrolling on Pinterest instead of just saving it away in a folder. Find something you’d like to spend your evening on, whether it’s something you’ve already saved or something brand new. Make sure all the tools you need are available to you, set it up, and get crafty! Now, you’ll have something to show for your night alone.
Bake something
Cookies sound good right now, and you’ve got time. Grab that cookie dough out of your fridge and head down to the kitchen with a glass of milk. If you’re more hungry than snacky, try making a meal for yourself. Pasta that’s not ramen will taste like it’s been made for kings if you put some effort into it. Or, you could make some pancakes instead of waiting for some from the dining hall in the morning.
Pick out your outfits for the week
Okay, you haven’t done this since your first week of middle school, but why not? You deserve to have a week where you don’t groggily throw on yogas. Bring up your weather app, and start going through your closet. For at least one week, you can feel like you have your life together because your shirt finally shows your figure instead of making it look like you just rolled out of bed (even though you totally did).
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