Going out drinking is great, but you can do more with your BFFs. Why limit yourself to just drunken memories… why not add trips and experiences and nights of crying over the TV together? Here is a list of 10 things you can do together than will create stronger and ever lasting friendships as you bond over Chinese food and Ryan Reynolds.
This is a great alternative because you can stay in your pyjamas or sweats for this. No need to put on killer high heels and risk twisting an ankle. Stay comfy and bra-free as you all squeeze on to your couch to watch some great films.
You could have a Disney marathon, or a Harry Potter marathon. Stick on a load of rom-coms and laugh the night away, or watch some action films and chat about how you could easily do those stunts these men and women have trained years to perfect.
The point is to have a chilled and relaxed evening with your friends. Order in take-out to make the night even better, or you could cook a massive lasagne together before the films begin and eat that and garlic bread. It doesn’t matter about garlic breath when you aren’t trying to hook up with anyone at a club.
Or keep it simple with a few tubs of popcorn.
But enjoy your night as you laugh together and learn a bit more about each other.
This idea depends on your style of games. I personally go for board games because they’re easy to set up and if its monopoly can last for hours. However, be careful that the game doesn’t destroy your friendships, were trying to make them stronger, not make you want to kill each other.
But if you are more into video games then you could bring your consoles together and have a Lan Party. Requires more effort but it brings you together as you play your games.
If you have a Wii then this allows for an amazing night as you watch each other horrendously dance on Just Dance. Or play Wii sports or any of their house party games. Nintendo allows for a more relaxed approach to the night.
Or if you want to go full out, you could find an arcade to all go to and have competitions at who can get the most basketballs into the hoops, or who can punch the punchbag the hardest.
A games night had endless possibilities and you can have so much fun together if you don’t let your competitiveness get in the way.
You don’t have to just sit down to be with your friends. You could go and play sports together like when you were kids, get a football and have a kick about at the park. Use the basketball court there as well.
Or if you want to be more adventurous, go ice-skating or roller-blading. The roller disco was a highlight of my time with my friends, the cheesy music and the endless falling over. Share more experiences together as you go out and do things.
Even bowling counts as a sport, and it should because your arms ache the next day after throwing those heavy balls.
You could even try new sports together, and watch as you fail. Try volleyball perhaps next time you plan a trip away to a beach together?
The opposite to drinking with your friends is eating with them instead. I see this as the better option because there is food involved.
Pack up the food you like and set off with a blanket and just enjoy the sun. You don’t have to make any food if that isn’t your style, no buttering bread and sticking some ham in there. You can bring along sushi and strawberries, or order a pizza to be delivered to the spot.
Even have Just Eat deliver to you.
But the point is you’re outside, enjoying food in good company.
If the weather is good and you are willing to put in a bit more effort you could have a barbecue with your friends instead. Get a disposable BBQ and grill your food right then and there and have a little party.
These are the memories you’ll end up remembering when you think off your friends. The time you managed to set a sausage on fire because you put too much paraffin and coal on the fire.
Get creative. Painting is a great thing to do with your friends, although it can get messy. You could stick a Bob Ross youtube clip on and paint along with him, or chose a picture you want to copy and see who does it best.
Or like the picture below, paint with your feet…
Or if painting isn’t something you enjoy, you could get creative in any sense. Create mood boards together, and decide on your goals. Make a collage or a scrapbook of previous memories you’ve had together.
Just get creative.
Everyone needs a pamper night. The stress of life takes its toll and we just need to cool down and take care of ourselves for a while. Your friends are the same, so why not have everyone round and you all pamper together.
All you need are a few face masks, and some soft dressing gowns to relax in.
You could paint each others nails, do each others hair. This becomes a lot more fun with guy friends as you try and get little tufts in bobbles.
Have an amazing night of just pure relaxation with your friends and watch as you all feel 100x better by the end of the night. We’ve got to look after each other.
You may consider this option boring but me and my friends were life saviours to each other when we worked together. You can stress together, rant to each other at the stupidity of the work and motivate each other to carry on.
We always got a lot more work done when we were together because you have someone to push you to stay on your work, and not getting distracted by Netflix or Facebook.
So if you have exams coming up or just general work to be getting done, get together at a cafe or someones house and plough through the work as a team. It’ll be make the boredom of work that bit more bearable.
See the sights. Stretch your legs. Breathe fresh air.
Walking is good for you and all your friends. You don’t have to go far, you could just go for a walk through a local park or go round mountains and hills on a hike. But it gets you out of the house and doing something healthy and active together.
Also the sights you see together are amazing. Bonus – great Instagram group selfies!
If you’re feeling up to it, you could turn your hiking adventure into a camping trip as you find a nice spot at the top. roast marshmallows together and tell scary stories.
You are only limited by your effort.
This could be window shopping, mall shopping or grocery shopping. All of them are fun when you are with the right people.
A late night adventure to Tescos is a great time with your friends as you find all the snacks for later on and play around in the trolleys.
Or if you go shopping to town, try playing the game where you chose the most outrageous, hideous clothes for your friends to try on in the changing rooms. Whoever looks worst wins.
It is great fun, just make sure you pretend the clothes are serious option choices to the changing room assistant. The game isn’t as much fun for them.
You could go out to do this for a full experience, or you could set up a microphone in your front room and get Youtube clips up. Even better, set off on a road trip somewhere and start a carpool karaoke. Show James Corden how it’s done. You and your friends can do a better job than him and Adele.
Either way it’s great fun to just start balling your lungs out and ruin your friends beloved songs.
Just be sure to get videos to post on Facebook on their birthdays to fully embarrass them.
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