Things to do at home in the warmth of your UAL Hall

It’s that time of year where you look back and realise how quickly the semester has flown by.

It hasn’t really sunk in yet how much you’ve done since September, but you look around and realise so much has changed since then— new place, new friends, and the weather’s gotten so much colder…

And that is where this guide comes in! We’ve got your back with a few ideas to help you make the most of all these changes.  

1. Host a Potluck or Themed Dinner 🥘

Some see it as an obstacle, but living in Halls is actually a great time to brush up on your culinary skills— put it to the test by having your friends taste test! 😈

All jokes aside, this is a marvellous opportunity to get to know each other better. When my friends and I arranged a potluck last year, we all got to try such diverse foods since everyone came from all around the world.

It’s a foolproof way to learn about each other’s cultures, and possibly get some great leftovers out of it too. You can even make it more interesting by setting a theme and dressing up accordingly!

2. Movie Marathon 🍿🏃

Nothing screams cozy more than a movie marathon with bean bags and hot chocolate. Gather your friends around the common room (or theatre if your Hall is fancy like that) and indulge in some film and TV classics. 🎬

Not only is it extremely simple to set up, it is also very budget friendly especially if everyone contributes a bit to the snacks. Some marathon classics include Harry Potter, Twilight, and Star Wars just to get the ball rolling.

3. Trivia and Games Night 🎱♟

When in doubt, check out the board games and game tables in your common room. Some lucky Halls even have arcade machines! 👾🎮

If you are up for the challenge: make your own board game based on everyone’s experiences since starting uni— It’s a sure-fire way of taking a trip down memory lane. 🕰️

As for trivia, the Jeopardy website is filled with pre-made quizzes to get your tournament going, you can also set your own questions to test everyone’s knowledge of each other. Kahoot is another fun website to use for this if you want to introduce a more competitive element to the night.

4. Friendsmas ✨💕

What better event to celebrate with new friends than Friendsmas? It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, especially when it’s so cold out. In fact, every activity listed here can be a way to spend Friendsmas cozily in Halls. The Halls Life committees at Cordwainer’s Court, Stratford One, Portland House, and Sketch House are also hosting events, so definitely check those out if you are looking for something higher budget. 👀

5. Halls Life Events (Totally not biased 🫦)

Hear me out: No planning required, no costs involved, no clean up needed, refreshments, ingredients, materials all provided— all you have to do is pop down to your common room in something comfy.🧣 Having fun can’t be simpler than that!

Halls Life events are genuinely a great way to unwind with friends, and meet new ones too! We host a large variety of activities each month ranging from cozy to crazy, so there will definitely be one that suits your tastes.

Fear not if not, drop an idea into the Here 4U suggestion box or have a chat with your Hall’s committee, we will try our best to make it happen. 🫶🏻

6. Cook or Bake Together! 👩‍🍳🧑‍🍳👨‍🍳

One great thing about Halls is that we all have a big kitchen in our flats. I for one prefer making food together over eating out when hanging out with my mates. Not only is it better for our wallets, it also gives us something to do while catching up.

This is also a great opportunity to test out more challenging recipes, since having company often makes mess ups and clean ups more fun than frustrating. 

7. Netflix and Spa 🥒🧖‍♀️

Connect with your inner child and relax with some DIY face masks! Some simple, effective ingredients for this include cucumbers, honey, milk, and rice water. There is a wealth of DIY recipes out there for you to explore (just remember to do a test patch to check for potential irritation first).

While you wait for your masks to soak in, put on a TV show and enjoy a smoothie bowl, or give each other manicures for maximum pampering. 💅

8. Share your Work! (Or force each other to work 🫡)

Time to make good use of the learning zone! Might not be your idea of ‘cozy’, but not having to stress about assignments last minute certainly sounds cozy to me.

This is perfect for when you are craving some company during deadline season, or simply want a guilt-free way to relax a bit. You will get some presentation practice before your tutorial and some feedback and suggestions to help with creative blocks as well.

Body doubling is also a tried and true technique to boost productivity! Just make sure you are keeping each other in check by setting goals instead of fostering an environment for endless yapping… 😭

9. Arts and Crafts Session 🎨🖌️

We’re all creative people here, aren’t we? Sometimes, we forget to properly connect with our craft when our work becomes so intertwined with deadlines and graded projects.

Take some time to indulge in some pressure-free, judgement-free making with friends. Remember why you took a creative degree and get something customised out of it!

Materials can also be made more affordable when costs are split between a group of people. I personally find The Works and BakerRoss to be very budget friendly suppliers for craft materials. 🧶 

For the full list of events happening in halls and around London, check out the Halls Life events site.