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Game Nights

Game Nights are casual, on-campus events where students can hang out and play a variety of board games, card games, and party games. They’re a great way to relax, meet new people, and enjoy some screen-free fun.

NOTE: We have a seperate documentation page for External Game Nights — which involve outings to places like The Loft Board Game Lounge.

🧩 Games & Setup​

There are a few different ways we source games for these nights:

  • Borrowing from the MacOdrum Library — Carleton’s library has a board game collection available for students to borrow.
  • Club Connections — We’ve teamed up with other campus clubs (like board game or tabletop groups) to borrow additional games.
  • Personal Collections — Sometimes attendees or organizers bring their own games to share.

It’s good to aim for a mix of quick, easy-to-learn games (like Codenames or Uno) and longer strategy games (Catan, Secret Hitler, etc.) so there is something for everyone

⚠️ Things to Consider​

Before running a Game Night, think about:

Timing within the term​

If an External Game Night (e.g., a Loft trip) is already planned for the same academic term, try to space them out. These two formats appeal to similar audiences and offer a similar vibe.

Timing with other board game events​

If other adjacent clubs are already hosting a game night, we should avoid overlap or schedule too closely to the existing events.

Instead, we can look for ways to collaborate or space out events to keep interest high and avoid event fatigue.

Have someone capable of explaining games quickly​

Many board games are complex, and it is not fun for casual attendees to spend more time learning a game then actually playing it.

Game availability​

Make sure someone is responsible for gathering and returning any borrowed games.

Room setup​

Pick a room with moveable tables and chairs so groups can form naturally.