What kinds of things are there to do in the residence halls? What is there to do in one's free time? How will my days look? Dorm, university housing, or "dormpartment" living can look like many things, but I dare say it doesn't necessarily look like the campus brochure. There will be studying, lounging, and university-sponsored events, but there will be many other activities in-between those times as well. "What is there to do in the residence halls?" Here are some of the examples you may, or may not, find inside the school brochures (accompanied by my own not-so-professional photos.)
1. Watch TV.
Perhaps what makes your residence really feel like home.
2. Eat.
One of my most favorite and most common activities.
3. Study.
Whether you're "studying" or resigning-your-social-life studying, there will be a lot of this happening.
4. Play games and meet other residents.
When you force yourself to get out and meet new people, you won't regret it. Nothing like a rousing game of Apples to Apples in the common room to get to know your dorm-mates.
5. Decorate your door.
Especially when you're a freshman, door-decorating contests are definitely a thing.
6. Crafts.
When an opportunity to craft arises, the answer is almost always yes.
7. Throw parties.
Channel your inner Martha Stewart. Minus the jail time.
8. Order pizza.
There's always something magical about having cheesy goodness brought right to your door.
9. Handstands.
After sitting for hours on end studying, you will get stir crazy. Try not to injure yourself.
10. Decorate for Christmas.
Going in together to purchase a 6 feet tree for your dorm? Absolutely!
11. Make gingerbread houses.
It's a tasty combination of crafting and eating.
12. Sleep in.
Let's be honest, being able to make your own schedule means you're going to let yourself sleep all day if you have the opportunity.
13. Flex your green thumb (gardening.)
Find the perfect dorm-sized plants to liven up your space.
14. Find a (paper) Valentine.
Your RA's got your back.
15. Rearrange your room.
The perfect activity when all your friends decide to go home for the weekend.
16. Get out in the snow.
We don't get much snow in Alabama, but when we do, it's ten million times more fun with all of your friends and canceled classes.
17. Take official roomie pictures.
Selfie or it didn't happen.
18. Practice your cooking skills.
If you're in a "
19. Dress up.
Residence halls will see their fair share of preparation for Halloween parties, Christmas parties, formals, presentations, and ceremonies.
20. Hoverboard (apparently.)
I've personally never done this (and hoverboards aren't allowed anymore,) but other modes of hall transportation include running, bicycles, and rolling chairs.
21. Invite friends over.
After all, what makes a room a home is the people who fill it with love. Or whatever those cheesy wall hangings say.
22. Try to practice an instrument without anyone hearing.
Try shutting all possible doors then getting inside the closet. So far no one has complained.
23. Climb on top of the counters to reach things.
Rooms designed to accommodate basketball players are rooms designed to make short people get really creative.
24. Raise money for charity.
What better place to look for help supporting your favorite cause than all the other people living in the same building as you? They'll have to pass by that front desk several times a day anyway. I've seen several donation jars or charity drives in the residence halls, all of which seem to do pretty well.
25. Mess with the wireless devices.
This is the third time someone has printed something to your printer today. Go ahead. Start casting random YouTube videos to someone else's TV.
26. Make your way around during power outages.
It's interesting what others will do when the power goes out. Crazy stuff. Like people-marching-up-and-down-the-hallways-as-a-mob crazy. I don't understand it either.
27. Get a pet (as allowed).
Such a worthwhile investment (until you have to hold its funeral...)
28. Cleaning.
I didn't know water could seep from the bathroom next door into my own until it happened the day before move-out.
29. Not cleaning.
I typically enjoy cleaning, but sometimes, ain't nobody got time for that.
30. Read the bulletin boards.
31. Hammocking.
Hammocking can be done indoors... proceed with caution.
32. Creep on your neighbors.
I'd recommend just creeping on the neighbors you know, but at some
33. Go up and down the stairs.
Otherwise known as exercise, or everyday transportation, depending on which residence hall you're in.
34. Have a giant slumber party in the living room.
Test the limits of how many mattresses can fit into one room.
35. Finding all kinds of surprises in the hallway.
I wish I could say I had help compiling all these pictures. I wish.
36. Practice adulting.
Sometimes you have to figure out how to cross the bridge between feeling like a small child and presenting yourself as a competitive asset to the workforce. The privacy of your own home is the best place to try to figure this out.
37. Make memories and have lots of fun along the way.
This is the bullet point to encompass all the other miscellaneous activities that will fill your precious time in the residence halls. Woot woot.
