Dear Mugless Seniors,
I see you. I hear you. I feel you and, I am you. It will be okay.
The last conversation I had with a dear friend of mine before she graduated this past May ended with the wise words: “Make sure you get a mug.” So, like many of you, on Aug. 27 I stood in the long line on Lancaster Ave. with my $100 in cash ready to buy this coveted piece of metal.
Yet, as I stood with my eyes on the Kelly’s Tap Room glass doors, the owners came outside and said the most tragic words a group of Villanova seniors can hear: “We are out of mugs.” Heartbroken, my friends and I returned home to campus empty handed. That night, as I laid in bed, I clicked through what felt like hundreds of Instagram and Snapchat stories of classmates, roommates and strangers all at the same place: Kelly’s.
And, hey, while it — for lack of a better word — sucks not owning a mug, and having to scout one out if I want to attend is no fun, I decided one thing: I refuse to not have a fun time with friends on Wednesday nights, especially if they are not being spent at Mug Night. So, I started to brainstorm with my other mugless seniors, and we came up with a list of alternative ways to still have a good time on these nights.
One: get your own mugs. No, I do not mean going on Etsy and trying to get someone to replicate the metal barrels from Kelly’s. Instead, head to a craft store or thrift store, get some plain white mugs and paint pens and decorate your own mugs for at home usage. Each week, while your roommate gets dressed and ready to go out, you get the privilege of surrounding yourself with friends, in comfy clothes and holding a mug you got to personalize.
Two: pick a craft. When I walked into my 8:30 a.m. class last Thursday after asking my friend how her mug night was, she asked me what I spent my night doing. My answer: I made felt crowns with my friend, Jenna, and it was awesome. Whether it be a paint and sip night or learning how to do needlepoint, there are a million different crafts to try out.
Three: TV/movie nights. A classic. And, since we live in a time with a multitude of streaming services there is always something available to watch. From shows such as The Summer I Turned Pretty and My Life with The Walter Boys to movies like Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire (the best one) and Good Will Hunting, there are many options no matter the time of year and what mood you want to be in.
Four: game nights. Another classic. There are many ways you and your friends can go about a game night. From playing cards and poker to the new Survivor card game, customized Heads-Up with pictures of your friend group or even to deeper and more meaningful conversations through games like “We’re Not Really Strangers,” game nights are great ways to spend time together, and to see who your most competitive friends truly are.
Five: Grog trivia. While you may not have a mug, if you are 21 or older there are other options for you on the Main Line. My favorite of these options is Grog trivia. Get a group of friends together and head down towards Bryn Mawr for some friendly competition. The nicest part of this? It begins even earlier than mug night, so your team can consist of both people who will and won’t be heading to Kelly’s afterwards. This is a great way to still get to be present and spend time with all your friends, regardless of mug-status.
While it may seem like the end of the world to not be a member of the “Kelly’s Mug Night Club,” there are plenty of other ways to still have an enjoyable Wednesday night. Take the chance to try new things, enjoy new forms of media, go new places and, hey, I’m sure if none of these appeal to you, you can find someone who has a mug you can borrow.
With Love Always,
Lauren
