April showers bring May flowers – but that doesn’t make the rain go away any faster when you’re watching it pour outside! Even though everyone would prefer being outside in rays of sunshine, there are tons of things to do when you feel stuck inside.  Even though you may be going crazy from the lack of sunshine, here are some ideas to perk you up!

Netflix – Start a new show or movie on Netflix!  Check out Kylee Deering’s article, “Binge-Worthy Netflix Shows,” for some ideas of what to watch.  13 Reasons Why is a show that I’ve heard positive feedback on.  If you do not have a Netflix account, 123movies.to is a great place to watch movies or TV shows, and you can choose from an extremely wide variety. Best of all, it’s free!

Redo Your Room – I know I always want to revamp my dorm room to get more space.  A rainy day would be the perfect opportunity to switch out some furniture.  Search creative ways to gain more space throughout your dorm room on Pinterest. There are thousands of different ways to reorganize your items to create more space in your room.

Plan Out Your Outfits – This is a more girly idea than the rest.  But, truly, this will create a lot less stress on your life.  If you are bored on a rainy day, plan out your outfits for the week, and prepare them where it is most convenient.  You’ll thank yourself later!

Order Pizza – Get some friends together and see if they want to order something to be delivered.  Pizza is always a prime choice.  Going outside to get it is not even necessary!

Read a Book – There is nothing better than a relaxing afternoon curled up in a chair or in bed reading a good book. Paper Towns, Divergent, and The Great Gatsby are some suggestions you could start out with.

Trade Clothes – You know those clothes in your closet you never wear but don’t want to just throw away?  See if your friends want to trade something for the ones you no longer want.  I guarantee you will find someone who has something they will want to trade with you.  Get a bunch of people together to do it so there is a lot of choices for more variety.

Cake in a Mug – There are only three ingredients needed for this delicious recipe.  In your dorm, there is definitely someone who has them if you don’t have them yourself.  All you need is 1 egg, ¼ cup of powdered sugar, and 1-2 Tablespoons of cocoa powder.  The amount of cocoa powder depends on how much chocolate you like!  Mix them together (a whisk is recommended), and microwave in a mug for 50-60 seconds.  Yummy!

Decorate Your Walls – Rearrange some pictures, print some new ones, or print out some cool designs.  Pinterest is an awesome place to find design ideas for dorm rooms.  Organize your photos on the wall in a heart design, hang them up with string and clothespins (which have potential to be decorated), or search future craft ideas to do to put up.  You could also go out of the box and create a cute sign for your door to inform people where you are.

Board Games – Most likely, people are sitting around bored on a rainy day, so you’ll probably be able to find people looking for something fun to do.  Getting everyone involved in a board game is always fun and creates friendly competition. Monopoly, Apples to Apples, Scrabble, and Life are some that may be easy to find and are entertaining.  See if your RA can help you find some of these games or any others.

Organize – After busy weeks at school, a dorm room can get super messy very easily.  Take some time to organize a desk or wardrobe to make things easier to find in the future.  Find little containers lying around to store bobby pins or other knick knacks.  I have found old iPhone packaging to be useful in storing bobby pins and small ponytails.

Clean – Vacuum, dust, sweep, and do all the things you procrastinate during the busy weeks of school.  This is the perfect time to make sure that your room is nice and tidy. Another chore that is procrastinated that could be accomplished is washing bed sheets.

Make a Playlist – There’s playlists to be made for everything. Make one for working out, getting ready, the shower, relaxation, homework – and everything else!  There are tons of ideas to get you started online if you find yourself stumped for song titles.

Take a Nap – This one may seem obvious, but catching up on sleep can do wonders for college students.  In the busy weeks of homework, sleep can seem like the last thing on a student’s to-do list.  Getting some sleep can make a huge difference in performance in everything.

Movie Marathon – Grab some friends and watch each of your favorite movies.  This is great bonding time and will bring you all closer.  Bring some mattresses and pillows into your lounge and make some popcorn, and you’ll be set!

Go Outside – If you have some rain boots, put them on and splash through some puddles!  This can create fun photo ops and wonderful memories for you and your friends.