21 Ways To Spend Friday Night When You're On Your Own
It's another Friday and as your classmates and friends plan yet another night out partying and drinking, it's easy for a set apart girl to feel left out and well, bored. Especially if you live away from your family and life long friends.
"I'm going to college and I'm wondering if you guys have a post ton things you can do (that are fun) on that Friday you're staying in late when you don't have other Christian friends?"
When one of our lovely readers reached out to us with the following, we decided to poll our exclusive online sisterhood to compile a list of ways to spend Friday night.
- Game night. -Marsha Cohen
- Late night bowling/ice skating. -Danielle State, 21 (Stetson University) PS. Don't be afraid to go alone! No one notices, because these things are truly all in your head :)
- Read an edifying book (here is our list of ten books to read this summer).
- I am at uni in England, so I don't know how different it is. We have lots of societies (clubs) that normally have events if you want to meet people. If you just want to hang out with people you know, game night is always a win, movie night is always the best, especially when popcorn is cheap. -Megan Broadley
- It's summer time - pack a picnic and spend some time outdoors on your own. There is great value in learning to be alone and just listening.
- Games night or movie night! -Natalia Hakenberg
- Work through our Set Apart Devotional.
- My favorite thing to do is grab my favorite snack and drink (popcorn, skittles and root beer) and have a cozy night in watching a movie. It's super chill and doesn't take any effort and so perfect after a long day of school, work and studying. Best part of all, if you choose to watch a Christian movie (God's Not Dead, Do You Believe, etc...) you can invite a couple of other girls and it can become an amazing ministry opportunity!!! -Kristen Neumann
- Volunteer - you're not the only lonely soul in the city. Many charities, food kitchens and shelters have events on Friday nights and they would love an extra set of hands to help!
- Mentor - find a young woman to mentor and meet up with for coffee or dinner every Friday night. Not sure where to find a mentee? Call a local high school and speak to a counselor or a local group home - both of these places are likely to have a few recommendations of young women in need of a mentor!
- Be the invitation - reach out someone else who seems to be hanging out alone in the dorms.
- Learn a new skill - there are a ton of free and low cost online courses you can take to learn a new skill. Learn French. Learn how to code. Learn branding or teach yourself graphic design.
- Offer to babysit for a professor or a couple you know so they can go on a date night.
- Purge and organize your closet. Take everything out of your closet and make three piles: keep, donate and save for later (those are the maybe's that you should put away for a season and if you don't miss it, give it away).
- Explore a new to you place - take a drive to a nearby town or city. Explore the countryside. Go to a local boutique or museum.
- Friday nights I am in the same boat. I have Christian friends outside of school, but they're all so busy so we don't exactly hang out a ton during the semester. BUT, this is the perfect opportunity for me to take some me-time and do stuff that I enjoy! I will either go to the gym/exercise/look up workouts to do from pinterest, bake something yummy (most of the time it's brownies, scones, or cookies), watch Netflix, draw/paint, or journal. I don't do all of these things in one night, but just decide what I'm in the mood for and go from there! -Michelle Rodriguez, 21 (CSULB)
- Study the Bible. Hands down, this is the best way to spend an evening in on your own. Not sure where to start? Check out our Bible study on the theme of "cultivate" with our tips on Bible study!
- Trivia night or baking night. -Bekah Sandhu
- Start a blog. Or write and submit an article to Tirzah!
- I was in that boat. Honestly, this sounds super lame--but laundry night. Honestly! I think it's so important to have a night where you do nothing but spent some time alone with Jesus. My college years were FULL of people all the time--constantly. Friday nights were my nights to unwind and be still. Making time for stillness allows ourselves to learn how to hear God's voice more clearer--even in the chaos. (And of course a break from the world allows us to finally do laundry!). -Anita Schulz
- Work through the Proverbs 7 Woman devotional.
So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. -Psalm 90:12
Staying in alone on a Friday night can be rough - especially as you see your classmates and friends at home post photos of date nights out, parties, and other fun things that everyone but you seems to be doing. It's even more difficult when you don't have other believers nearby to fellowship with. We hope this list inspires you to redeem the time in a way that is edifying and appropriate for a set apart girl!
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. -Ephesians 5:15-16