College Nightlife
Here’s a list of the best five things to do to cure your 2am campus boredom.
By Daniel Nguyen, Hofstra University
There’s a halcyon atmosphere in late-night environments.
Contrasted against their busy days, college campuses at night are particularly peaceful (barring nights before finals where it seems like the whole student population is awake and living in the 24/7 study facilities). However, on most nights, most college campuses can be observed in incredible stillness, as if you’ve landed on an abandoned Moon base. The nights aren’t filled with frantic last-minute cramming, assignment completions or professional duties. They aren’t filled with anything specific. And that’s the point!
With endless possibilities and a healthy amount of curiosity, finding things to do on campus at night is easier than it might seem.
If you’d rather get some much needed shut-eye and aren’t much of a night owl, try roaming the campus during class hours instead. Go exploring if you have free time during a period when half of the population is cooped up in one of the many buildings; it’ll be just like doing it at 4am. Minor differences—your fellow wandering students out and about—will make the experience feel less like “abandoned Moon base” and more like “late afternoon high school.”
Whether you’re looking to preoccupy otherwise vacant nights, want to get to know your university’s campus better or are simply bored, here are five easy ways to enjoy a night on campus.
1. Take Some Awesome Photos
Surprisingly (or not), every setting looks different at night! Depending on your campus, this might make for some incredible views. That boring walkway you pass each day on the way to class might be a beautiful promenade at night! The ubiquitous trees in daylight might be entrancing décor in moonlight! Even the mundane, like building signs or campus maps, usually light up at night and add to the enchanting mood of your college’s atmosphere. Wherever you go to school there’s definitely a considerable sight somewhere on campus, you just have to do a bit of searching!
2. Go Exploring
Whether you’re by yourself or with a group of friends, exploring the campus you know by day during the night can be both entertaining and informative.
If you’re alone, take advantage of the unique facilities of the campus! Discovering the amenities will give you a better understanding of what’s available. Every college campus is unique with differing sizes, locations and accommodations. Finding that nightly special spot on your own campus will make you gain appreciation for your university.
If you’re with friends, make the experience fun and pretend you’re a murder investigator. With a group of buddies, scatter to the winds clues for a nighttime mystery adventure! Planning this requires a bit of coordination with a clue keeper who won’t divulge clue locations. The job could be a rotating role amongst friends, or you could kindly ask a staff member to hold onto the vital secrets. Playful investigations are a great way to get to know your campus while making memories. Even if you’re an upperclassman, college grounds are usually so large that it won’t be hard to find a diverse range of locations that even you’ll be surprised to find!
3. Pull an All-Nighter
All-nighters are capable of producing that spacey mood that’s moderately comparable to drunkenness. Staying up until the morning is pretty unhealthy for your overall mental well-being, similar to drinking. If you’re not one to indulge in the drink but possess a strong desire to experience the symptoms, staying up all night will mimic the effects—like being dragged toward the ground/any resting surface. Not only that but you’ll be able to check out the early risers and the sunrise, although by that time you might have lost the lucidity to appreciate the sight. Perhaps play at an online casino or watch a movie marathon to keep yourself up. Suggested for days when you don’t have class early next morning.
4. Order Late Night Munchies
If you’re attempting an all-nighter, 24/7 food places are indispensable. These might be just convenience stores, but any form of sustenance is appreciated when your body’s resisting deep sleep. Many campuses offer at least one food establishment that serves students until the ungodly hours of the night. While most end with the usual hours of a work day, check your university’s dining services to find out which stores serve students past the usual closing times. Some might be chains that stay open till midnight or a couple hours after. Some even feature 24/7 food stores, perfect for those extremely late hours when night and day begin to bleed into each other.
5. Be Wild! (Quietly)
Whether you’re slinking around corners as a faux murder investigator or catching a late night movie, remembering to mind the volume is crucial to any extended nightly endeavors. Listen to some of your favorite music and dance around the most congested areas of campus like no one’s watching, which they probably aren’t (because they’re sleeping instead). If you’re exploring with a group of friends, incorporate an element of silence into the game.
Take the chance to use your campus’ facilities late at night before the full swing of the semester comes into tow. It might be a lot more fun than you anticipated. Go exploring with a group of friends grab a late night snack. The possibilities are endless!
