Is Orange After Dark for me? Well, if you’ve ever found yourself struggling to do something fun on a college budget, looking to get off campus for a few hours with as little effort as possible, or trying to do something tailored to your interests, the answer is yes, yes it is.
Finding the right fit is tough when it comes to your weekend. But did you know the Office of Student Activities basically did 95 percent of the work for you already? Yeah, they planned Orange After Dark (OAD) events practically every weekend this semester that everyone can love. Some events are free and others only cost $3 with food and transportation covered for you. All you have to do is get your ticket and show up! (Bonus: sometimes you don’t even need a ticket!) It’s that simple. So why not work smarter, not harder when planning your weekend and go to an OAD event?
Now you’re probably thinking which event would be right for you. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Ask yourself the following questions to find the perfect event:
Do you consider yourself a Bob Ross enthusiast?
Head on down to Paint Night, Saturday, March 23! Let someone lead you through a painting while enjoying snacks and hot chocolate. You don’t even have to do the guided painting if you’d rather use your own imagination. Even if you aren’t a painter, Paint Night is still a fun way to let your creative side thrive. Remember, there are no mistakes, just happy little accidents. Happy painting!
Do you turn everything into a competition?
OAD has events that are already a competition, so you won’t hear the judgement from your friends when you remind them you won the league title in Fantasy Football this season. Go to one of three Trivia Nights, just be sure to have the best trivia team name. Challenge your friends to laser tag, bowling and bumper cars Friday, March 29 at the new Apex Entertainment Center in Destiny USA.
Do you dread the thought of becoming an adult in a world with no Toys “R” Us?
No one wants to grow up, so why not be a kid for a few hours? OAD has you covered with a night at Get Air! Trampoline Park and Dave & Buster’s. Show off those flips on the trampoline you perfected in middle school to all your new college friends on Friday, February 15. Play all the arcade games your grade school-self loved at Dave & Buster’s on Thursday, March 21.
Do you count down the days till beach season?
Only 52 days, 15-ish hours and however many minutes till Spring Break, but who’s counting? If you don’t want to think about how far away that is, skip the wait and go to Cascades Indoor Water Park on Friday, January 25! There’s a wave pool, water slides and more. Leave the sunscreen at home.
Do you get sad when you realize Stan Lee may not have any more cameos in Marvel movies?
Mr. Sala, I don’t feel so good. But I feel great that OAD has two private movie premieres of “Captain Marvel” and “Avengers: End Game.” Watch Brie Larson in action as Captain Marvel Thursday, March 7. Then see how the Avengers saga ends with “Avengers: End Game” Thursday, April 25. This may be the last Stan Lee cameos we ever get. RIP to a legend.
Do you fall down the YouTube rabbit hole at 1 a.m. and start believing in obscure conspiracy theories?
Say hi to the FBI guy in your webcam for me! They would tell you to go to Escape the Mystery Room and Murder Mystery Dinner, too. Choose a theme and follow the clues and try to get yourself out of the escape room Saturday, February 2. At Murder Mystery Dinner, first, get your free dinner from Spaghetti Warehouse. Then, solve who did it like the cold case master you are on Saturday, March 30.
Do you like to have fun while spending as little money as possible while also eating free food?
Of course you do, you’re a college student. If you chose this option, just go to every OAD event. You won’t regret it. Check out the full schedule here.