G.N.O. (Girls Night Out) by Miley Cyrus

Tonight was the first time in a long time that I left campus. Granted, I stayed within the border lines of State College (an Uber ride out of State College sounds pricey), but I did find myself a good ten minutes away from campus. For this GNO, I went out to dinner at The Field and to watch Beauty and the Beast at UEC Theatre. Here is how it all went down.

A few days ago, my friends and I were all talking about how much we would all love to go to Buffalo Wild Wings. The conversation then transitioned into acknowledging how none of us every find ourselves far off campus- everything we do is either on campus or downtown. So, in that moment, the four of us decided to venture away from our dorms and downtown for a little girls night out on Thursday. And that we did! 

The Field was delicious, and I don't even believe that's because all I have had to eat for quite some time is dining hall food. We all shared table fries (parmesan and truffle), which they actually dumped onto the table for us. Although that was slightly strange, I could definitely dig the rustic vibes they were giving off. I had a hamburger, which came with chips and a pickle, and it was incredible. At the end of dinner, we all agreed that there was no chance that any of us could consume anymore food, so we passed on the milkshakes even though they sounded delicious. The live music was a little bit load, but I won't hold that against the restaurant. All in all, it was a great time and I would really recommend heading over there if you haven't yet.

 

After dinner, we Uber-ed our way over to the movie theater to see Beauty and the Beast. If you haven't seen it yet, go immediately. I don't want to spoil it, but Emma Watson portrayed the role of Belle wonderfully and the story never fails to warm my heart. I will say, though, that the theater itself is super relaxed about everything. You could easily walk in, not pay for a ticket, and go into a theater with no questions asked. By the time our movie was over, around 11:30 at night, there was not one employee around and everything was still unlocked and open to take. It was a little weird.

Photo courtesy of Disney

 

Now that you have heard about my night and what we did, I need to explain to you why this matters at all. There was something freeing about driving away from campus- passing Beaver Stadium and seeing it in the rear view mirror- but knowing that you would be back soon. I hate leaving school for breaks because I love being here so much, but sometimes I feel trapped in the middle of nowhere, Pennsylvania. As much as I enjoy my time here constantly, it can feel somewhat overwhelming when I have not left campus for two months straight. 

Going off campus, as simple as it may seem, felt like a quick breather from all things college. Although it can be a little expensive with all the Uber rides and movie snacks, it was all worth it. After getting back to my friends' dorm in North, we all agreed that we needed that. Sometimes all you need is to get away from schoolwork, overwhelming parties, and college student responsibilities to take a breather and have a worry-free night with your best friends. 

Let me know if you have had a GNO (girls or guys night out, either way) while you have been at Penn State and how you liked it!