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Spend some time with friends if you think it will help. Play a board game. Do something he's always wanted to do. Get him out of the house. Be active together. Be affectionate, but only if that's what he wants. Make him his favorite treat. Have a picnic. Watch his favorite old school movie. Understand when he just wants some space.
If your boyfriend is the type of guy who just wants to be alone or to be with you when he's upset, then you probably shouldn't drag him out to a party or invite your fifty best friends over. But if he's the kind of guy who gets his energy from other people and who is always laughing and feels engaged when other people are around, then setting up a low-pressure social outing can actually make him feel better. Try to make the event alcohol-free as much as you can. Even if drinking will temporarily make your boyfriend forget his problems, it will end up making him feel worse. Alcohol is a depressant, after all. If you and your boyfriend do end up hanging out with friends when he's upset, be sensitive to his needs. If he wants to go home early, you should be respectful of that. Who says you're too old for Monopoly or Clue? Pick a game you both used to love when you were kids, or one that you still play sometimes, and spend a night together, or with another two or three friends, playing board games and having a fun, simple night. Make some popcorn or bring out a few snacks, like Cheez-Its or Fruit Roll-Ups, that remind you of your childhoods, and make a fun night of it. This will work best if your boyfriend isn't really competitive when it comes to games. You don't want to end up making him more upset because he keeps losing property in Monopoly. You can even go to Target or another store together and tell him to pick out any game he wants. This may seem corny, but it could cheer him up for sure! Think about it: is there something your boyfriend has always wanted to do or try, whether it's to check out the new deep dish pizza place in town or to watch Twin Peaks? As long as it's fairly simple and doesn't require a lot of emotional energy, you can surprise him with how thoughtful you are by setting up an evening to do something that he's always wanted to do. Of course, don't push it. You don't want to make a reservation at an expensive restaurant he's been wanting to try when he's just not feeling it. But if there's a simple or low-pressure activity you two can do together, then you should try it. If your boyfriend needs to be cheered up over something that isn't super serious, then one of the best things you can do is to get him out of the house. Just being around people, breathing some fresh air, and letting the sun hit his face can have a big impact on his mood and can make him feel less alone. If he's been sitting in a dark room sulking all day, then of course he's going to be upset. But if you make him come out, even if it's just to take a quick walk, it can have a big impact on his mood. It may help to give him a short goal instead of just saying you want to go outside. Telling him you want to walk to get some coffee or to run a quick errand can make the trip outside have more of a purpose. If you're both doing something inside you can easily do outside, such as reading, then try to get him to do the same thing in a park so it doesn't feel like he's exerting too much effort. Get your boyfriend out of the house to go hiking, running, walking, or to throw around a Frisbee or to kick around another soccer ball. It doesn't really matter what you do, but it does matter that you get your boyfriend's endorphins going and that you help him get out and about a bit more. Even hitting up the gym together for half an hour can have a major impact on his mood. If he's bummed out but not so upset that he can't leave the house, then making time for some exercise together can help cheer him up. When your boyfriend is upset, he's much more likely to stay in one place, to eat unhealthy foods, and to pay less attention to his body. Being active together can help get him out of that rut. Of course, if he seems really weak and tired, than he may not be up for much more than a walk, and you shouldn't try to force him to be too physical. Sex or any form of intimacy may not always make your boyfriend feel better, and he may even feel worse if you act like the only way you can make him feel better is to get intimate. Still, giving him more affection can definitely cheer him up if you go about it the right way. Hug him, give him a kiss, and put your arms around him to make him feel less alone. Squeeze his hand, put a hand on his shoulder, run your fingers through his hair, or do whatever you know will make him feel better. If your boyfriend is really sad and wants some distance, then you shouldn't force affection. Pay close attention to how he responds to your touch. If he responds positively and moves closer to you, then give him more of your loving. But if he seems to back away, then take it easy on the physical affection for now. Another way to cheer your boyfriend up is to surprise him with his favorite treat. This could be as simple as picking up food from his favorite Thai place, baking him brownies or presenting him with an ice cream sundae or even inviting him over to make him his favorite pasta dish. This will not only make his taste buds feel better, but it will show him how much you love and care about him. If he's alone at home, coming over with his favorite treat can also make him feel extra cheered up. Of course, if he's seriously depressed, then he may not want to eat much. But if he's just upset over a bad test grade or something that won't last, then this can be the best remedy. Take your boyfriend out to the park, a nearby grassy location, or even your backyard and have a nice and simple picnic with him. Make him his favorite sandwiches, bring along some treats he likes, and prepare some soda, sparkling water, or another beverage of his choice. You don't have to make it too elaborate as long as he sees you've made an effort to make him feel better. This can make for the perfect mid-day surprise when you know he's feeling bummed. You don't need to try extra hard to make it feel romantic; it's more important that it's fun and lighthearted and that he genuinely enjoys himself. Bring some comic books, sports magazines, or something else he might like to make the picnic even more fun, or to cheer him up if he doesn't feel like talking. Invite your boyfriend over, make some popcorn and get some other movie theatre treats, like Snow Caps or M&Ms, and have him pick his favorite movie from his childhood to watch. This could be The Goonies, a Rocky movie, The Sandlot, or really anything he used to love as a kid and hasn't seen in a long time. It doesn't matter how silly it is or if he worries it may not stand the test of time; this will make watching it even more fun. Making a cozy home theatre for him can be a better option than taking him out to the movies if he doesn't feel like going on a big outing or being around too many people. Of course, if your boyfriend is upset, it makes sense that you want to do everything in your power to cheer him up and make him feel better. However, sometimes the best thing you can do is just to be understanding and to give him some alone time, knowing that he'll feel better soon. You don't want to force him to do too many things or to put pressure on him to be in a good mood, or that may actually make him feel worse. Though you may think that your boyfriend can only feel better if he's around you, he may actually feel worse because he'll feel like you're trying so hard to cheer him up and he just can't do it. He may just want some time alone to sort out his feelings and you have to be okay with that. Another possibility is that your boyfriend wants your company, but he doesn't want to do too much. If that's the case and he's really too upset to do much more than eat or talk to you, then you shouldn't try to force him to do more.