By Ava Marinelli, Staff Writer, Emerson College
I don’t fit the stereotype that all college students love to spend their weekends out on the town getting smashed. I don’t drink, and parties make me anxious. I know there are many students out there who, for one reason or another, don’t party either. But, you might ask, what do I do if I don’t want to go out partying?! Look no further! Here is my list of 20 things to do instead of going to a party, in no particular order.
I don’t fit the stereotype that all college students love to spend their weekends out on the town getting smashed. I don’t drink, and parties make me anxious. I know there are many students out there who, for one reason or another, don’t party either. But, you might ask, what do I do if I don’t want to go out partying?! Look no further! Here is my list of 20 things to do instead of going to a party, in no particular order.
1. Have a “me” night
Sometimes it’s nice to take a few hours to pamper yourself. If you’re not feeling like the life of the party, take the night to take care of yourself! Take an extra-long hot shower. Stock up on all your favorite comfort foods. Watch your favorite movie. Catch up on the TV shows you missed during the week. Curl up with that book you’ve been meaning to read. Do whatever makes you feel good about you. You deserve it!
Sometimes it’s nice to take a few hours to pamper yourself. If you’re not feeling like the life of the party, take the night to take care of yourself! Take an extra-long hot shower. Stock up on all your favorite comfort foods. Watch your favorite movie. Catch up on the TV shows you missed during the week. Curl up with that book you’ve been meaning to read. Do whatever makes you feel good about you. You deserve it!
2. Have a night in with your friends
Just because you don’t want to go out doesn’t mean you have to spend the night alone! Have a few friends over and have a chill night in. Sometimes you just need to unwind, goof off, and catch up on the latest gossip.
3. Host an SNL viewing party
Call up your friends and have them over for some late-night laughs. Even if the host isn’t your favorite, it’s late enough at night that most things are a little funnier than usual.
Just because you don’t want to go out doesn’t mean you have to spend the night alone! Have a few friends over and have a chill night in. Sometimes you just need to unwind, goof off, and catch up on the latest gossip.
3. Host an SNL viewing party
Call up your friends and have them over for some late-night laughs. Even if the host isn’t your favorite, it’s late enough at night that most things are a little funnier than usual.
4. Grab a late-night snack
One of my favorite things about being in Boston is that restaurants are open past 8 p.m. (in my town basically everything shuts down by dusk…no midnight snack runs for me). I highly recommend hitting up Trident Booksellers and Café for your late-night food fix. The food is reasonably priced and absolutely amazing. The chocolate chip pancakes with bananas or the grilled cheese with bacon are by far the best options on the menu. The atmosphere is tons of fun as well – they play classic and beloved movies, from Breakfast at Tiffany’s to Little Miss Sunshine. Plus, if you’re a book-lover, you can always hit the bookstore for some impulse purchases.
One of my favorite things about being in Boston is that restaurants are open past 8 p.m. (in my town basically everything shuts down by dusk…no midnight snack runs for me). I highly recommend hitting up Trident Booksellers and Café for your late-night food fix. The food is reasonably priced and absolutely amazing. The chocolate chip pancakes with bananas or the grilled cheese with bacon are by far the best options on the menu. The atmosphere is tons of fun as well – they play classic and beloved movies, from Breakfast at Tiffany’s to Little Miss Sunshine. Plus, if you’re a book-lover, you can always hit the bookstore for some impulse purchases.
5. Hit up a museum
As college students here in Boston, we are lucky enough to have discounted access to some of the area’s excellent museums. Through Nov. 24, college students can get half-price tickets to the Museum of Science (order your tickets online using the code COLLEGE13). The Institute of Contemporary Art is open until 9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday nights, plus Emerson students get in free with their student IDs. Emerson students can also get into The Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum and Museum of Fine Arts for free with their student IDs. Who says you can’t learn AND have fun when you go out on the weekends?
6. Movie Magic
Whether you go with friends or by yourself, the movies can be a fun treat to end a stressful week. With Loews Theatre literally right next to campus, there’s no excuse not to check it out. Plus, with the Xfinity student deal, Netflix, HuluPlus, and ProjectFreeTV, you can find basically any and every movie you could possibly want in the comfort of your bed or couch. Pop some popcorn (but please for the love of God do NOT set the fire alarm off) and snuggle up for a night of movie magic.
7. Have a fandom-themed night
We all have that one fandom we can’t get enough of. No matter what it is, it’s always fun to get together with friends, dress up like your favorite character, make snacks from the show or movie, and marathon your favorite episodes or films. From Supernatural to Star Wars, you can never go wrong channeling your inner-nerd with your nerdiest friends.
8. Eat around the world
Boston is foodie heaven. You can find food from every corner of the world here. So why not take yourself around the world without having to leave home? Using OpenTable, Google Maps, or your own foodie knowledge, find restaurants that specialize in a certain ethnic food and taste your way through the world. In order to save some cash and experience as many places as possible, I recommend hitting up restaurants for appetizers only. Chinatown and the North End are obvious choices given their proximity, but be adventurous! Your taste buds will thank you.
9. Be a tourist
Parts of Boston are total tourist traps, but can still make for a fun night. The Duck Tours can be a great way to explore the city while also participating in a Boston tourist tradition. 80-minute tours leave from The Prudential Center until 9pm Thursday through Saturday. You can also take a trip to Faneuil Hall and experience the quaint, although commercialized, shopping area. Whether you’ve lived in Boston your whole life or for the past two months, it’s always fun to play the tourist.
10. Go to a concert
With countless music venues sprinkled throughout the city, it’s always possible to find a show that interests you. Some of my favorite venues include The House of Blues, The Paradise Rock Club, and Café 939. All three of these venues are relatively inexpensive and feature a wide variety of artists. Even if you don’t recognize any of the musicians playing a certain weekend, check out a show anyways. Live music is always fun, and you might even discover a new favorite band!
11. Have a few laughs at a comedy club
Boston has a fantastic stand-up scene. Whether you’re checking out one of Emerson’s own comedy troupes or seeking out some of Boston’s famous comedy clubs, there’s no better way to forget about the stress of classes than by laughing your ass off.
12. Have a Skype date
This “date” doesn’t necessarily have to be with your significant other. Call your parents, siblings, grandma, or best friend. It feels so good to talk to people you haven’t seen or heard from in a while - and it’s always more fun to surprise people with a call!
As college students here in Boston, we are lucky enough to have discounted access to some of the area’s excellent museums. Through Nov. 24, college students can get half-price tickets to the Museum of Science (order your tickets online using the code COLLEGE13). The Institute of Contemporary Art is open until 9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday nights, plus Emerson students get in free with their student IDs. Emerson students can also get into The Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum and Museum of Fine Arts for free with their student IDs. Who says you can’t learn AND have fun when you go out on the weekends?
6. Movie Magic
Whether you go with friends or by yourself, the movies can be a fun treat to end a stressful week. With Loews Theatre literally right next to campus, there’s no excuse not to check it out. Plus, with the Xfinity student deal, Netflix, HuluPlus, and ProjectFreeTV, you can find basically any and every movie you could possibly want in the comfort of your bed or couch. Pop some popcorn (but please for the love of God do NOT set the fire alarm off) and snuggle up for a night of movie magic.
7. Have a fandom-themed night
We all have that one fandom we can’t get enough of. No matter what it is, it’s always fun to get together with friends, dress up like your favorite character, make snacks from the show or movie, and marathon your favorite episodes or films. From Supernatural to Star Wars, you can never go wrong channeling your inner-nerd with your nerdiest friends.
8. Eat around the world
Boston is foodie heaven. You can find food from every corner of the world here. So why not take yourself around the world without having to leave home? Using OpenTable, Google Maps, or your own foodie knowledge, find restaurants that specialize in a certain ethnic food and taste your way through the world. In order to save some cash and experience as many places as possible, I recommend hitting up restaurants for appetizers only. Chinatown and the North End are obvious choices given their proximity, but be adventurous! Your taste buds will thank you.
9. Be a tourist
Parts of Boston are total tourist traps, but can still make for a fun night. The Duck Tours can be a great way to explore the city while also participating in a Boston tourist tradition. 80-minute tours leave from The Prudential Center until 9pm Thursday through Saturday. You can also take a trip to Faneuil Hall and experience the quaint, although commercialized, shopping area. Whether you’ve lived in Boston your whole life or for the past two months, it’s always fun to play the tourist.
10. Go to a concert
With countless music venues sprinkled throughout the city, it’s always possible to find a show that interests you. Some of my favorite venues include The House of Blues, The Paradise Rock Club, and Café 939. All three of these venues are relatively inexpensive and feature a wide variety of artists. Even if you don’t recognize any of the musicians playing a certain weekend, check out a show anyways. Live music is always fun, and you might even discover a new favorite band!
11. Have a few laughs at a comedy club
Boston has a fantastic stand-up scene. Whether you’re checking out one of Emerson’s own comedy troupes or seeking out some of Boston’s famous comedy clubs, there’s no better way to forget about the stress of classes than by laughing your ass off.
12. Have a Skype date
This “date” doesn’t necessarily have to be with your significant other. Call your parents, siblings, grandma, or best friend. It feels so good to talk to people you haven’t seen or heard from in a while - and it’s always more fun to surprise people with a call!
13. Write a letter
Who doesn’t love getting mail? Who doesn’t love getting surprise mail? Kick it old school and write a letter to someone. I just got a letter from one of my friends from California and it honestly made my day.
14. Have a video game marathon
With Grand Theft Auto: V and the new Pokémon game hitting the market, there are plenty of new games to conquer. Whether it’s a solo mission or a team effort game, try to play the whole game in one sitting. It may be a lofty goal depending on the game you pick, but we college students are excellent at committing to things that double as procrastination.
Who doesn’t love getting mail? Who doesn’t love getting surprise mail? Kick it old school and write a letter to someone. I just got a letter from one of my friends from California and it honestly made my day.
14. Have a video game marathon
With Grand Theft Auto: V and the new Pokémon game hitting the market, there are plenty of new games to conquer. Whether it’s a solo mission or a team effort game, try to play the whole game in one sitting. It may be a lofty goal depending on the game you pick, but we college students are excellent at committing to things that double as procrastination.
15. Experiment with college cooking
We’ve all had our issues with the dining hall food or the EmCaf line. Why not try to do some cooking on your own? Snacks you can cook in a mug make for the best way to cook in college without burning your dorm down. Check out Buzzfeed’s list of 18 snacks you can cook in a mug in the microwave for some inspiration, and get cooking!
16. Create something
Sit down and actually write that story you’ve been saying you’re going to start. Work on editing that short film you keep telling yourself you’ll get around to. Whatever creative thing you like to do, just sit down and do it.
17. Take a photo walk.
Take your camera (or take your friend and their camera) out on the town. Have a pretend photo shoot, make a serious photo essay, or just wander around and see what strikes your artistic eye. Boston is a beautiful city, especially after sunset. The Esplanade is an especially artsy place at night.
Ava is a freshman Writer, Literature, and Publishing major. She is a tea and coffee addict, cupcake lover, and all-around nerd. Feel free to ask her about her fandoms. You can contact Ava on Twitter and Facebook.
Images: Buzzfeed, cdn.net, designerchaircoverstogo.com, Green Mag online, impowerable.com
We’ve all had our issues with the dining hall food or the EmCaf line. Why not try to do some cooking on your own? Snacks you can cook in a mug make for the best way to cook in college without burning your dorm down. Check out Buzzfeed’s list of 18 snacks you can cook in a mug in the microwave for some inspiration, and get cooking!
16. Create something
Sit down and actually write that story you’ve been saying you’re going to start. Work on editing that short film you keep telling yourself you’ll get around to. Whatever creative thing you like to do, just sit down and do it.
17. Take a photo walk.
Take your camera (or take your friend and their camera) out on the town. Have a pretend photo shoot, make a serious photo essay, or just wander around and see what strikes your artistic eye. Boston is a beautiful city, especially after sunset. The Esplanade is an especially artsy place at night.
Ava is a freshman Writer, Literature, and Publishing major. She is a tea and coffee addict, cupcake lover, and all-around nerd. Feel free to ask her about her fandoms. You can contact Ava on Twitter and Facebook.
Images: Buzzfeed, cdn.net, designerchaircoverstogo.com, Green Mag online, impowerable.com