There are a lot of ways to get to know the people you live with, but this doesn't always require some grand adventure. Bonding with new people can be as simple as breaking out a board game.
"I think fluffy milk is funny. Milk can't be fluffy; it's so stupid it's funny!" says one.
"Fluffy kittens obviously make the most sense! Pick that one!" says another.
"I don't know, guys," the person judging will finally say. "Fluffy marshmallows is the best, I'm going to have to go with that one."
At this point, the person who chose marshmallows will take the fluffy card and gloat, "I knew you would pick that one! You love marshmallows! Yes! I am so great at this!"
For those of you who don't know, what I have just described is a particularly intense game of Apples to Apples on a typical night in the lounge of my hall. Usually I'm playing, not only because it's great fun, but because my room happens to be next door to the lounge, which leaves sleeping out of the question. To put it lightly, board games are a big deal here.
Apples to Apples is a fairly simple game. Every player gets seven red cards with nouns on them, one of which they must match to a single green adjective card per round. Players take turns judging the best matches, and the one with the most matches wins. The most interesting part of the game is how players will use their knowledge of the judge to try to win. For example, a conservative would think that the combination of "George W. Bush" and "idiotic" was inappropriate or offensive, while a liberal would find it humorous. The game is really subjective that way, which is probably what makes it so popular.
When I arrived at Longwood in August, I wasn't sure what to expect. I really didn't have a clue what college social life would be like. There are certain things that I anticipated, thanks to everything my college-aged friends and relatives had told me, but I never could have guessed that the bonding of my hall mates and I would be so dependent on board games.
Apples to Apples is just one of the games played in the lounge. There are games out there for everyone. We've done Twister, Scrabble, and Blokus, along with several others and various card games. Most recently, we played Monopoly, which caused me to stay up until two in the morning trying to beat my business-major RA, who has supposedly never lost.
I never liked Monopoly as a kid; it took too long and I never got to be the dog. But in the high-stakes game we played the other night, the deals were so fast-paced and the competition was so fierce that I couldn't help but get caught up in the action. It was a close match, but I eventually gave up in favor of sleeping.
My hall's obsession with these games might seem kind of dorky, but they are a great way to relieve the stress of college life. I'd really encourage everyone to give game nights a try with their friends. You never know what you might learn about someone, and it's sure to be a lot of fun.
