by Britney Weber, senior staff writer
Say goodbye to boring open dorms. Say goodbye to three and a half hours of movies and to prolonged awkward silences when no one can think of anything to say. Say goodbye to wasting the entire open dorm thinking of things to do. Why? Because I, along with other students at Bryan college, have done the work for you.
Following is a list of activities to do during open dorm that we have found to be not only fun, but have helped foster friendships in ways watching movies never will.
First, be spontaneous. The more random the game, the more fun you will have. Office chair jousting, marker wars, building pillow forts–all can be fun ways to release some of that pent-up energy from sitting in class all week.
For those who are more mentally stimulated, try getting together a discussion club. Take turns meeting in various members’ rooms and discuss whatever comes to mind. Delegate someone each week to bring coffee, tea, cookies or pizza and explore each others’ minds on anything from literature to theological issues.
Play Two Truths and a Lie or ‘Would you Rather.’ These games can be a great way to get to know your friends on a different level and always promise a good laugh.
Bring over your laptops and compare music collections. See who has the most bizarre, funniest, saddest or oldest music and then vote on favorites. If nothing else, you will come away with a broader music range and a greater appreciation for the various styles out there.
Write a collective short story or play and then act it out. Take turns adding to the plot line or creating twists. Delegate someone to be the videographer, then make popcorn and watch the finished product together. Vote on best actor, worst actor, funniest character or favorite lines.
Play a board, card or dice game. Games can be great for having random conversations because they can provide background entertainment that will keep silence from being awkward.
Search the web for crazy recipes, then bake one. Or, invent a new recipe using only ingredients you can beg off of friends. Invite everyone you borrowed ingredients from to share in the finished product.
Have foot races in the hall. Instead of running, try crab walking, crawling, rolling, or summersaulting.
Play ultimate spoons in the hall. Place all the spoons at one end of the hall while everyone plays the card part at the other end. Run for the spoons rather than just reaching for them.
Dorm hop- see how many people you can convince to come with you as you traverse the halls, checking in on random people.
Tell stories from precollege years. The most embarrassing ones are the best.
But most of all, forget about homework for the evening and just enjoy the company of your friends.
Thanks to junior Kirsten Amling, junior Kelly Shannon, senior Allison McLean and Jon Jon Wesolowski for giving me ideas for this article.