With all the craziness of college — classes, exams, work, and internships — sometimes you just need a fun night in with your girls to help you cool down and unwind.
I love having girls’ nights in with my friends, especially when we haven’t had a chance to see each other in a while. It’s my favorite way to bond and update each other on our lives, while simultaneously doing something fun we all enjoy.
I am always searching for new, creative things to try for these nights in, so here are five ideas to inspire you to do the same.
1. Presentation/PowerPoint Night
I learned about presentation nights from a sisterhood event my sorority held. There are so many different ideas that can be used during a PowerPoint night. For example, you could prepare a slideshow on the Bachelor(ette) predictions, cast your friends as movie or TV characters, share hot takes on any topic, or even pyramid rank your friends, songs or movies — “Dance Moms” style. The possibilities are endless, and you’re guaranteed to have a laugh.
2. Self-Care Paint Night
You can never go wrong with a self-care night. What says relaxation more than face and eye masks? My favorite place to get these masks is Sephora because they are affordable, and I know they are safe for my skin. Plus, while you’re chilling soothing your skin, another fun activity to do is paint. My friends and I love doing this! I usually get canvases from either Amazon or, more recently, 5 Below. For paint, Michaels is my go-to. They have packs of different colors for an affordable price and usually last me a long time. Painting lets you do whatever inspires you — my friends and I love looking on Pinterest for ideas.
3. Themed “Party” Night
I learned about themed GNI hangouts from Tiktok. I’ve seen many videos of friends dressing up as the Taylor Swift eras, different colors, seasons, and even movie characters. These nights always look super fun, especially if you and your friends love an excuse to dress up. To make this even more interesting, you could get food, watch movies, play music, or make drinks that are connected to your theme. Overall, it’s a creative way to spend time with your friends, dressed as something you love. Not to mention, the photos would be iconic.
4. Baking Movie Night
When I’m having a sleepover, baking and watching a movie has easily become one of my favorite activities. You could go to the grocery store and pick up some brownie, cake or cookie mix and hang out in the kitchen baking while you chat about your lives. Another fun thing to try would be baking from scratch using a recipe online. This can be especially fun because some things are bound to go wrong, and you’ll definitely have a laugh about it. After baking, my friends and I love putting on a rom-com and eating all the goodies we just made. There’s nothing like laughing-crying to “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” while eating brownies.
5. Vision Board Night
If you and your friends are feeling crafty, having a vision board night can be very entertaining. You can make virtual boards using apps like Canva or Picsart, or you can buy physical poster boards and stickers, and print out images you’d want to feature on yours. Your vision boards can be your general manifestations for life, or you can make different boards for work, health or year-long goals. It is a great activity to start up conversations about life and learn more about your friends’ hopes and dreams. Not to mention, you’ll have a great keepsake that you can put on display in your rooms!
Whether you and your friends like planning elaborate activities or just want to do something simple for your girls’ nights in, these ideas definitely have something you all will enjoy! These activities have encouraged my friends and I to have heart to hearts and spend valuable time with each other. I hope they inspire you to do the same!