As a fellow high school student, I understand the struggle we all have to find fun things to do with friends. I am sure everyone is tired of Grand Station, Premier Cinema, and the joke of a mall we have, so instead, I have compiled a list of fresh things to do with some affordable options included.

Starting things off, we have the Stella Hotel which has activities you can pay to do without spending the night. This includes a pool, paddle boarding, and also access to multiple field games. Their restaurant helps make this a location that can keep your group entertained for hours.

One of my personal favorite places is Stone Co. Rock Climbing. This is a great place for people of any skill level to enjoy a fun evening of pushing their limits. With color-coded courses of various difficulties, anyone can participate in this activity, and competitions with friends make it even more enjoyable.

If the last suggestion sounds interesting to you, you might also consider going to the Aggieland Rec center. Here you can pay a fee to access the pools, rock walls, and various courts (with gear provided). It is definitely a great way to keep a large group entertained since everyone has something they are interested in doing. My suggestion is to compete to see who is brave enough to go off their multi-story diving boards.

Whether you want to escape the heat or gaslight yourself into thinking we actually have winter here, Spirit Ice Arena is an affordable and fun place to spend the day. Daily passes can be purchased with skate rentals, and you and your friends can all have an enjoyable time watching each other slip and slide across the ice like penguins.

This suggestion may be a little odd, but just hear me out. The Brazos River is such a great place to spend the evening. Whether you enjoy fishing, hiking, fossil hunting, or swimming (if you dare) then this is the place for you. Also, yes, you heard me right, FOSSIL HUNTING! Whiskey Bridge is a famous fossil site with frequent discoveries being made there, including shark teeth. All you need is a small shovel and you are all set.

For those who love animals, the Aggieland Safari is located just down the road and it is a hidden gem that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. You can purchase animal food and drive through multiple fields with many interesting animals. Feeding them is hilarious, but I do warn you that mysterious animal slobber will end up all over you and your car, and, for the faint of heart it is a good idea to roll up the window when you see the emus coming.

This option does require a little bit of a drive to Hockley, but the Showboat Drive-in movie theater is the perfect place to go to renovate your movie-watching experience. Not only are the tickets cheaper than our theaters in town, nothing compares to snuggling in a car packed with warm blankets, snacks, and friends to watch a movie. Additionally, they often have nights with two showings included with one ticket, making the drive definitely worthwhile.

I have to include some options for my IB and AP friends who have to do homework all weekend, so here are some of my favorite study places to spice up an evening with your books. We have H & J’s tea house which is a great place for cat lovers, Kyle House for those who want an aesthetic environment, and Harvest because their Chai is heavenly.

Hopefully, something on this list has sparked your interest and helped you realize that we are fortunate to live in an area with so many activities for teens. While they may be hard to find at times, our new series of things to do might just help you out.