The Ultimate Chill Night In

Photo credit to Shashi Chaturvedula via Unsplash (@thephotographermom)

After an insane week of midterms, 8am’s, and lack of sleep, some SU students feel the need to blow off some steam by back to back to back binge drinking. For a lot of us, however, categorizing every night of the weekend as a “Going Out” night is borderline self-destructive. It can lead to more intensified feelings of being a socially drained restless mess. 

We know this can feel taboo in Syracuse’s party culture, but we think YOU deserve a night in. Not just any night in though… The Ultimate Chill Night In.

Why is a Night In so Important?

The answer to this is simple: Rejecting the wrath of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) teaches you how to enjoy your own company. You have to learn how to love being alone. You don’t have to be at every party, and soon enough, you won’t want to be at every one either. Many college students do anything in their power to avoid alone time. They would rather have the same conversations and force the lame laughs than create something new by themselves. 

But you deserve space. Give yourself the permission to recharge. It’s about finding your inner quiet and calm, then re-centering yourself. It’s about time to reflect, because if you’re always on the go, you could potentially be suppressing feelings that haven't been addressed. It’s about learning how to be friends with yourself! You don’t have to be on all the time. It’s healthy to press pause every now and then - even if it’s just one chill night in.

How to have the Ultimate Chill Night In:

When we tell you to stay in on a Saturday night, we don’t mean lay in bed and scroll through Tik Tok aimlessly for hours, watch your friends’ Snapchat stories while feeling your stomach drop, then go to bed late and sad. We mean pamper yourself. We mean take advantage of suddenly having time to just be.

1. Take an Ultimate Shower

To have an Ultimate Chill Night In, you’re going to need an Ultimate Shower. This step may be less satisfying to the Pod/Communal restroom gang with shower shoes on, but it is possible nonetheless. This is when you exfoliate, deep condition, and take your sweet ass time. There’s no rushing to go blow dry your hair tonight.

2. A Spa Ritual… or Five

You need to do at least one face mask, teeth whitening strips, hair mask… we don’t care. Just do something that makes you feel pampered. 

3. Hippie Shit

Yup. You’re meditating tonight. You are definitely journaling tonight. Throw in some positive affirmations, maybe some yoga or stretches?

4. Re-watch Type of Night

This is the perfect time to rewatch a feel-good movie or TV show that is a guaranteed love. You deserve guaranteed television satisfaction tonight. Everyone knows what we are talking about. Skip your “To Watch” list.

5. Pajamas

Huge t-shirt. Full butt granny panties. No bra. Nuff’ said.

6. Try Logging Out

On Snapchat, everything looks more fun than it really is. This is a fact. There’s no reason why you need to see Becky from WRT 105’s story or check on Thad from Sigma Ligma Figma’s location for a tenth time. The Ultimate Chill Night In is about you, not anyone else or anyone else’s plans.

7. Bedtime

Go to bed early (or as early as you can without melatonin) and set zero alarms for the next morning. Bask in this moment. We guarantee that calmly sleeping in till 10am is much better than rolling in at 3am and mysteriously waking up at 7am because of your severe hangxiety. 

The most valuable skill to learn during this time of your life is the ability to ~vibe~ with your own company and enjoy spending time alone. This goes hand in hand with balance and moderation; understanding the fine lines between alone time and isolation; having fun and not taking care of yourself. 

So this weekend, treat yourself to The Ultimate Chill Night In. You deserve it (& we do too).