Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
U Mass Amherst | Culture

Hot Girls Roll For Initiative: Why You Should Play DND

Updated Published
Breyanne Cassimore Student Contributor, University of Massachusetts - Amherst
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mass Amherst chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

College can be a surprisingly lonely place. You arrive surrounded by thousands of people around the same age, yet somehow, making real friends feels harder than ever. In high school, friendships formed naturally over shared experiences like classes, sports, inside jokes, and the unspoken familiarity of growing up together. However, in college, everyone’s on their own timeline, and it can feel impossible to create close shared bonds. Leaving you craving the connections you once had.

That’s where Dungeons & Dragons comes in.

Although Dungeons & Dragons sounds incredibly nerdy, it actually can be a lot of fun!

DND is a tabletop role-playing game where your imagination drives everything. Players create their own characters (which literally can be anything you want) and work together to navigate challenges designed by another player who is the dungeon master! Every choice you make shapes the story. You might charm your way past a suspicious guard, negotiate peace between warring tribes, or slay a dragon to save a village. The beauty of DND lies in that freedom; it’s collaborative storytelling mixed with strategy and improvisation.

For so many college girls, DND becomes this unexpected safe haven. It’s where you can show up exactly as you are: tired, stressed, and maybe still figuring things out. Then, suddenly, you’re the hero of your own story. There’s something magical about sitting around a table, snacks everywhere, dice rolling across notebooks, and realizing that you’re part of something that’s equal parts silly and meaningful. In a world that constantly tells us to have it all together, DND lets you be messy, bold, and creative. You can fail epically, laugh until you cry, and still come back stronger in the next round. You get to take risks, make wild choices, and be loud without anyone judging you for it. And honestly? That’s the kind of energy college girls need more of.

Because when you’re saving kingdoms with your friends, on paper or in your imagination, you’re also building trust, confidence, and real connection. It’s less about the dragons and more about the people at the table who make you feel seen.

Getting into DND sounds intimidating at first, but trust me, it’s way easier (and way more fun) than it looks. You don’t need to memorize a hundred rules or own fancy dice sets. All you really need is curiosity and a willingness to play pretend again.

Start by finding a group. Most campuses have a DND club or Discord server where new players are always welcome. If that feels too official, gather a few friends and try a one-shot game (a short adventure that lasts a single session). You can find free beginner campaigns online or through apps like DND Beyond that walk you through every step.

Pick a character that feels fun, not “perfect.” Be the dramatic bard, the chaotic wizard, or the shy healer who surprises everyone with their courage. The best characters are the ones that reflect little pieces of you, and even the parts you didn’t know you had.

Don’t overthink it. Half the joy of DND is laughing when your plan completely falls apart. You’ll figure out the rules as you go, and before you know it, you’ll be scheduling game nights like it’s your new favorite hobby (because it will be).

At its core, DND is about people. It’s late-night sessions that run too long because everyone’s laughing too hard to stop. It’s inside jokes, shared snacks, and that one friend who always rolls terribly but somehow saves the day anyway. Somewhere between the dice rolls and the storytelling, you stop worrying about fitting in; you just do.

So yes, hot girls roll for initiative. But more importantly, they roll to connect, to create, and to feel like part of something bigger. DND might look like a game about fantasy worlds, but at its heart, it’s about belonging, finding your people, your voice, and your courage, all while pretending to be a half-elf sorcerer.

If college ever feels a little too big or a little too lonely, pull up a chair. You never know, the next dice roll might just change everything.

Can’t get enough of HC UMass Amherst? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, listen to us on Spotify, like us on Facebook, and read our latest Tweets!  

Breyanne Cassimore

U Mass Amherst '28

Hi! I am a sophmore at UMass. Follow me @breehelenee on insta!