As 2017 begins, I’ve been a little bittersweet about having to move out of my apartment at the end of the semester. This is my last year of having my college roommates with me!
Even though I will probably still have roommates in the future, there’s something so special about collectively suffering yet enjoying being in school. Your roommates are the people who tend to see you at your best and at your worst, and whether you like them or not, they’re a big part of your college experience.
So, in honor of that, here are 31 fun things to do with your roommate(s) this semester. If you live alone, or you really can’t picture doing these things with your roommate, grab a good friend and have some fun:
1. Stay up all night together – NOT studying. Watch movies, eat pizza, go bowling, whatever.
2. Invite all of your mutual friends over and host a fancy dinner.
3. Go to Target, IKEA, the local thrift store, etc. and find one statement piece for your home that you both fall in love with.
4. Have a spa day at home and save on going to the salon. (Here are some DIY beauty recipes to try.)
5. Facebook stalk each other back to 2008. Laugh and laugh.
6. Get a tub of ice cream and share your funniest or most cringe-worthy dating stories.
7. Online shop together and fight over who gets to buy that on-sale dress. (If your sizes are similar, maybe you can share it?)
8. Leave the apartment for a day/weekend and go on a road trip.
9. Have a baking night where you whip up everything and anything. Make a board on Pinterest with all of your ideas!
10. Knock on your neighbors’ doors and bring them baked goods from above.
11. Binge an entire TV series from start to finish together.
12. Exercise! Go to yoga, dance class, kickboxing, etc. together.
13. Don’t leave the house the next day and complain about how sore you guys are.
14. Clean the apartment together. Trust me, it’s better if you tackle it together. Bonus points if you put on really good music first.
15. If you’re similarly sized, go through your wardrobe and trade clothes and accessories that you no longer wear. Take the rest to Goodwill or sell it.
16. Have a DIY craft night.
17. Go to the store and splurge on fancy cheeses, crackers, and wine (if you’re of age). Have a fancy night in.
18. Try a new restaurant that neither of you have been to.
19. Look up cute puppies/kittens/other baby animals and try to pick out one you both agree on hypothetically adopting. (See our tips on how to manage a pet in college.)
20. Watch cooking competition shows on TV or Netflix. This is a favorite activity around our apartment!
21. Pick one of the challenges from the cooking show, go into the kitchen, and attempt to do it with the ingredients you have.
22. Catch up on your days for five minutes each night, even if you’re both really busy.
23. Go to an all-you-can-eat buffet and stay for at least an hour. Marvel at each other’s ability to eat.
24. Collectively create a Spotify playlist for the apartment and then blast it.
25. Go on a double-date together.
26. Even better, set each other up on a blind date for the same night. Then come home and question each other’s sanity.
27. Host a board game night and invite people from different friend groups.
28. Go to brunch on Sunday. If you’re super fancy, make it yourself.
29. Buy tickets to see a band/artist who you both like and is coming to town.
30. Go on a healthy food kick for a week and throw out all the junk food. Then hit up the store the next week to replace it all.
31. Share your first impressions of each other. Again, laugh and laugh.
There you have it! There are tons of ways to enjoy your roommate’s company, whether you’ve lived together for four years straight or just moved in. If you and your roommate aren’t close, suggest one of these and see what happens.
Related reading: 15 Items to Share With Your Roommates in College
What are your favorite roommate bonding activities? Got something not on the list? Share your ideas in the comments!