Fun Winter Event Ideas for College Students (When It's Freezing Outside!)
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Fun Winter Event Ideas for College Students 🥶
Like bears, many of us are prone to hibernation when it gets too cold outside. It’s just easier to hide away, snug in your dorm room watching Netflix on your laptop or scrolling TikTok videos from underneath a warm blanket. But too much isolation, we have learned in these unprecedented times, is not good for anyone.
In fact, campus life administrators who create campus events to keep students connected, active and involved may sometimes find this frosty time of year the most challenging.
Good news! If you are looking to help the students in your campus community to destress and engage in some fun activities this winter, we’ve got you covered!
We’ve gathered our favorite ideas for fun winter campus activities that are sure to be a hit among students, even when it’s freezing outside!
1. Entertainment 🎬🍿🎸🎶
Winter is the perfect time to get together with friends, eat your favorite comfort foods, and be entertained. Whether they’re looking for stimulation or opportunities to sit back & relax, there are many ways for students to safely connect at winter campus events!
Cozy Movie Night: Bring your own blanket and snuggle up with your besties to catch the newest release without leaving campus! Offer theater snacks like popcorn and candy for authentic vibes.
Lunchtime Concert: Schedule a musical performance in an auditorium or outdoors on the lawn.
Host celebrity speakers and comedians: Many touring artists love to make stops at universities.
Campus-Wide Scavenger Hunt: Randomly assign students to teams to make it easy for students to meet new people. Scavenger Hunts are a great collaborative game. They also give newer students a chance to familiarize themselves with the campus.
Set up a ball pit on campus: Unlock your students’ inner child! Ball pits can be set up indoors or outdoors and are great fun! Invite students to stop by, jump in and play.
2. Health & Wellness 🧘🏾♀️🧘♂️🧘🏻🧘🏿♂️
Introduce and promote self-care & wellness activities guided by your recreation staff or wellness center counselors. There are many types of events to help students take a moment to breathe, re-center themselves and keep active.
Campus-wide Yoga Class: A great way to relieve stress and build community is holding a yoga class on campus for all students to join. Find a calm, quiet place (inside or outside depending on your geography and climate), and invite a professor or local instructor to teach stress-reducing yoga poses.
Offer a spa day: Provide free stress-reducing massages from local masseuses. Sip warm tea while teaching students to create face masks from natural ingredients.
Offer a mindfulness class: Show students how to relax through meditation techniques. Meditation is a great coping skill that supports well-being during college and well beyond graduation.
Free campus counseling day: Set up sessions of free campus counseling for students. Between academics, social life and navigating career prospects, students carry a lot on their shoulders. This reminds students that there are supportive resources available to them and people that are eager to listen and help. This also normalizes the idea of accessing mental help when needed by reinforcing the idea that counseling is for everyone.
3. Sports & Getting Active ⛷️🏂⛸️🏈
Staying active can be a real challenge when it’s freezing out. The trick is to create events maximizing the season’s main perks: snow, ice, and Super Bowl.
If you’re in a cold climate, invite students to bundle up and head outdoors for some fun! Sled on a hill on campus or nearby park, rent some snowshoes and hit the trail, ice-skate at a local rink or organize an annual skip trip for a day of shredding, skiing and snowboarding. All of these activities are perfect for seasoned veterans and newbies eager to try something new!
Off the ice, there are many other ways to still break a sweat. Host a sports competition (hockey for outdoors, basketball or soccer for indoors), set up a rock-climbing wall in the quad, or organize a Winter Fun Run across campus for a great activity to get students exercising and introduced to the entire campus.
Offer bikes and scooters to make it fun and easy for students to get around campus, or put together a group trip on a local biking trail.
Lastly, one of the most important and popular sports gatherings of the year takes place in the heart of winter: Super Bowl! Maximize the biggest game day by organizing a campus-wide viewing party! Project the game on a large screen on the campus lawn or warm indoor space and invite students to join and cheer for their favorite team. Don’t forget the stadium snacks. 😋 Nachos, hot dogs, wings, and in some parts of the country, the beloved Frito Pie. (If you haven’t tried this southern delicacy, you’re missing out!)
4. Creative & DIY Fun 🎨🧶🌱
Good Crafternoon! Whether learning a new skill or encouraging creative expression, students will LOVE meeting up for unique pop-up projects and creating something fun together. Bonus: art therapy is a great way to help college students to manage stress and heavy workloads.
Invite students to take a break and join friends from all over campus to try out something new:
Cooking Class: Pair up students randomly and teach students a new recipe! Idea: Invite your Student Wellness Club to teach everyone to make overnight oats and learn about nutrition. (Incentivize attendance by giving away a free reusable grocery bag with your school’s logo on it!)
Res Hall Competition: There’s a reason door-decorating contests are so popular. They’re fun, creative and easy - just pick a theme and a prize for the winning door!
Craft Night: There’s no limit to DIY projects your students would love! A few of our faves - make your own essential oil diffuser keychains, airbrush or screen-print shirts. Set up crafting stations in dorm rooms, and gardening fun with desk-sized plants to place in their dorm rooms.
Paint Night: Organize an instructor-led step-by-step art class. Consider working with a student-led organization to co-host an event that promotes or explores their mission. During February, some campuses are celebrating the achievements of African-Americans who have shaped American history by hosting a Black History Month Paint Night.
Design a Beanie: Did you know that National Hat Day is January 15th? Customize beanies with patches, paint and jewels to keep warm this winter.
Cookie-Decorating Contest: This is a fun, sweet and creative outlet for students who need a study break.
Campus-Wide Photography Contest: Got a scenic campus? Invite students to take photos and upload them, and create an exhibit event to showcase top finalists. Have students vote for their favorites and award prizes to the winning photographers!
5. Outdoor Adventures & Nature 🌲☕
Take a break from indoor spaces and opt outside! Weather permitting, spending time in nature decreases stress, anxiety and the seasonal depression that can plague some students in the long, dark winter months.
Offer students the chance to get off campus by hosting a group hiking trip through a winter wonderland! Be mindful of the weather and any potentially dangerous icy conditions, though!
Offer free bus ride to a beautiful trail to give students who do not have cars a chance to try something new, too!
Another idea we love is a good old-fashioned campfire! Set up benches or chairs, offer warm apple cider or hot cocoa, and amplify a cozy winter playlist. Boost attendance by giving out campus-branded blankets to the first 25 guests!
6. Community Service Events 🙌
Host a campus-wide day of service, and invite groups to volunteer in your city! Assign students into different groups to head to different destinations around town where they can volunteer. In the winter, places like food banks, animal shelters, libraries, schools, or senior citizen homes can be particularly in need of volunteers!
Your school might also host a food, toy or clothing drive. Encourage students to donate items they do not use or want that can hep those in need. Incentivize participation by awarding the class or dorm that gives away the most with a pizza party or other prize!
Connect students with local, regional, national and international opportunities to give back in meaningful ways! Organize a Volunteer Fair on campus to inform students about the many benefits of student volunteering. During this event, students can explore different ways to share their time and talents such as Alternative Spring Break trips, virtual community service and beyond.
7. Professional Development & Networking 💬
Being early in the semester makes winter a great time for students to explore professional development opportunities. It is also a great time to build new connections with people who can help them achieve their academic, career and personal goals. Whether hosting in-person or virtual networking events, students should take advantage and join the conversations happening around them!
Here are some ideas to get students involved:
Winter Welcome Social / Let’s Taco About Study Abroad: Have International Student Association and International Education staff co-host a social event to connect students returning to campus from study abroad, students planning to study abroad and international students on campus. (This is a great way to invite students to learn about diversity and different cultures!)
Coffee & Tea Hour: Set up tea and coffee stations where students can begin their mornings or kick off the afternoon with a warm drink, treats and conversation. Tip: Invite different affinity clubs on campus to host each week and promote their organizations!
Ted Talk: Invite speakers to your campus to give educational and motivational speeches on different topics. Organize readings and Q&As from touring authors and field experts for students to hear them speak about their industry and careers.
Alumni Meet & Greet: Introduce students to former students so they can see what people who graduated in their major are doing now — and how they can get started in their industry of interest. (Many students get their first internship or job through this type of event!) Host Q&A or one-on-one meetings for students to learn about career options, trajectories and steps to get there.
Host a Job Fair: Show students what options are available in different industries. Invite potential employers to set up interviews on campus, allowing students to book time slots for one-on-one meetings.
8. Winter Field Trip 🖼️🎭🏛️
Gather students together to visit somewhere new! There are always places to explore near campus! Host a sports game night at the stadium, a day at the capitol or aquarium trip.
Take a group trip to see a local or broadway show. (Theater and English students will be first in line!) Enhance the experience by coordinating a Meet & Greet with actors and behind the scenes theater personnel after the performance!
Organize a Gallery or Museum Hopping Night for students! Enjoy an educational evening that’s mostly indoors. Students can hop from gallery to gallery, discovering works of art and applying classroom learning to real-world experiences.
9. School Spirit & Community-Building Events 💡
Get students out of their caves for some fun with friends! There’s no shortage of on-campus activities that will inspire students to stay engaged during winter.
A few of our cold weather faves:
Mardi Gras Masquerade Party or Winter Carnival: Host a night of festivities and invite students to wear their best mask. Be sure to set up a photo booth to take pics of all the fun costumes and have students tag your school on social media!
Create a mural or collage together: Invite each student to contribute to a giant piece of collaborative art set up on campus. Seeing the finished product everyday builds a strong sense of community and belonging. 🥰
Organize a giant class photo: Have students wear school colors to join and form a shape or symbol together. (The finished photo will be great for social media and promotional materials for your colleagues in Admissions!)
Clothing or Book Swap Party: Offer students a budget-friendly way to clean out their closet and discover some new finds.
Give out Valentines Day cards: Have students create their own mailboxes to put on dorm doors, and then invite them to pass around Valentines and candy to each other.
Spirit Week: Research each day for a different theme such as wearing your school’s colors or dressing up in PJs or clothing from different eras.
Pancakes at Midnight: Everyone loves breakfast! Serve pancakes & waffles for dinner in the dining hall or as a late-night snack for night owls.
10. Make New Friends (While Exploring Interests) 📚🍱
Regular social interaction helps develop meaningful and lasting relationships. Meeting new people is especially critical, and sometimes pretty challenging, for more introverted students - especially in winter. Campus leaders can help by encouraging students to attend events with the goal of talking to at least one person they haven’t met before.
Here are a few ideas to create events that allow students to meet other like-minded classmates:
Campus-Wide Book Club: Pick or vote on a book, have students read it, get together and discuss over warm beverages and snacks
Craft Your Vision Board Event: Share dreams and goals in a supportive community of peers
Food Festival: Come up with a theme and invite students to try new dishes from local restaurants or flavors from around the world
Campus-Wide Comic Con: Host your own con, inviting students to dress up as favorite characters! Set up booths with themed snacks, games, local vendors, comic artists, writers and publishers
11. Unleash Your Inner Performer 🎤💃🏿
Got talent? Host a slam poetry or open mic night or Karaoke & Cocoa event! Let students perform their favorite songs, or invite aspiring writers and songwriters to share their compositions in a warm, supportive environment of peers.
Got moves? A dance party will have students breaking a sweat even though it’s below freezing outside! From throwback tunes to contemporary hits to international songs, students will enjoy gathering together and moving to upbeat music. Make it a competition by having students dance in groups, awarding prizes for different categories.
12. Game Night 🎲🎮
A campus game night is a great way to get students together while staying cozy and warm indoors! Have students team up, or randomly assign groups to inspire new connections between classmates. This goes a long way in helping all students to feel welcome, especially if they don’t know anyone yet and want to play.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Trivia Night (name that tune, theme nights, school fun facts, history, science, pop culture or create your own trivia)
Video Game Tournament (Poll students to pick out their current fave!)
Gayme Night (play board games and enjoy movie theater snacks with your school’s LGBTQ+ Alliance)
Escape Room
Murder Mystery Night
Virtual Games
Thanks for checking out our top event ideas for college students to enjoy during the cold months. We hope you found some inspiration!
Hosting events on your campus that students enjoy helps them to discover new friends, explore interests and brings your student body closer together. 💙
What winter events do you have planned for your students? Let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear what’s working well on your campus!
Are you a higher education professional leading campus life initiatives and student activities? Contact us to chat about how CampusGroups can help you cultivate an environment of happy, active and engaged students on your campus.
