Planning and hosting campus events for college students can be difficult to implement, and even more challenging to track and measure success. There are a number of factors to consider, like student engagement, budgets, novelty, and the “cool” factor, just to name a few. But when you successfully put together a program that has a good turn-out and gets students excited, there’s no more gratifying feeling. So to help you achieve that success on campus, here are 10 college event planning ideas that will get so much interest, you’ll need a waiting list.
Puppy Play Parties
What has become a classic on college campuses during finals weeks, bringing in therapy animals like puppies is an event that is pretty much guaranteed to get a good turn-out. Nobody can resist the fluffy tails and puppy dog eyes that also just happen to reduce cortisol levels during stressful times.
Campus Farmer’s Market
You probably already know that students will turn out to anything food-related, and hosting a farmer’s market on campus is a great way to turn that energy toward something healthy, sustainable, and fun.
Clothing Swap
College students. Low budgets. You know the story. To help people freshen up their wardrobes to look fly without having to pay money or throw out old clothes into a landfill, a clothing swap is a unique way to drive engagement and get students excited.
Dorm Crafts & Cooking
Help deck out students’ dorms and nutritional variety by offering adjacent sessions for healthy dorm cooking lessons and creating cute dorm decor, like decorating planters or creating little succulent pots to boost some life to their residence hall rooms.
Costume Run
For students who are too busy to check out the fitness center, offering a fun, themed 5k run is great motivation to exercise. If you want to boost attendance even more, a costume run is a sure thing – just be prepared to see your campus overrun with inflatable dinosaur costumes.
Free Massages + STI Testing
STI testing isn’t sexy, but free massages are absolutely irresistible. So why not bring a masseuse onto campus and have students get free STI tests while they’re waiting for their turn? Wellness double whammy!
Nap Time Pop-Up
Imagine this: you fill your quad or student center with hammocks, inflatable mattresses, and cozy pillow nooks so students walking by can come and relax or even take a much-needed midday nap. Because if there’s one thing college students want even more than food, it’s sleep.
Student TEDx Talks
Everybody has their favorite online Ted talk, and everybody has something to say. Hosting a student TEDx night where people can sign up ahead of time to give a short lecture will give students a chance to use their voices and hear what wisdom their classmates have to offer.
Bounce House
Sometimes college students just need the chance to let out their excess energy like they could when they were kids. The solution? Bring in a bouncy castle. You’re never too old to bounce.