As I’m sure you’ve noticed, it’s started getting dark a little earlier lately. Depending on where you are in the country, it may be more or less significant, but it’s definitely happening. And once daylight saving time ends (1 November this year, I believe), it’ll be getting dark even earlier. So now that the sun is going down, what are you going to do with your afternoons and evenings? It’s tough to throw a frisbee or play touch football in the dark. Here are some ideas for both indoor and outdoor activities.

The first indoor activity is one of my personal favorites (especially when it starts getting really cold): have a movie night! Get a bunch of friends together, decide on a couple movies, order a pizza or two (or make popcorn, or consume your food of choice), and sit down with a couple drinks to watch a movie. This is a perennial favorite around finals time, as it requires very little mental or physical effort. It’s perfect for just relaxing.

If you’re looking for something more active, you’re not out of luck. Even though it’s harder to do things outside, it’s not impossible. You might just have to get a little creative. If you’re into sports, you can go to a local park and find a lighted basketball or tennis court and play under the lights. If you’ve never done this, I highly recommend it—the lighting definitely gives the whole game a different feel. It’s a lot of fun! Later in the winter, going ice skating under the lights is another cool option (and it also works really well as a date idea, as it isn’t usually very expensive).

Using lighted things, like frisbees, soccer balls, and footballs, is more difficult than playing under the lights, but that can make it even more fun. It’s a bit of a crapshoot trying to get a bunch of people to successfully catch and throw (or kick) a lighted ball or disc when it’s really dark out, but that’s what makes it so much fun! If it’s really dark, not getting hit in the face is a pretty major success.

There are other things that you can do that don’t involve staying home, but also don’t involve being outside. Going out to bars, clubs, and restaurants is just as fun in the dark as it is any other time, and sometimes more so. If you have the spare cash, go watch a Monday night football game at a sports bar, or go dancing on a weekend night. Doing these things often can put a hurt on your wallet, but they’re definitely a lot of fun, and not too financially taxing if you only do them every once in a while.

It can be easy to feel a little trapped when it starts getting dark early, but remember that you’re only as limited as you let yourself be. Start thinking of things that you like to do, and find ways to do them in the dark. Just because the sun is going down earlier doesn’t mean that you have to!

As always, if you have any questions, comments or funny stories you'd like me to share about college or the blog, email me at stu@stuvu.com