Dear Seniors,
Eight weeks. That is how much time there is left as undergrads. Amazing things can happen in eight short weeks. Think back to the start of this semester and all the things you wanted to get done before you graduated. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the semester is halfway over. Did those things get done? Perhaps not, but keep reading; you've still got time!
It really flew by, didn't it? It seems like only yesterday we were opening up those acceptance letters and choosing where to spend the next four years. Well now, that time has come again, except this time it's not where to spend the next four years, it's where to spend the rest of our lives. College graduation is so different from high school graduation. There is no assurance of coming home to old friends on winter and summer breaks. There is no four year period of finding who you are as an adult. There are no repeat/forgives and no pass/fail classes. There are interviews, jobs, moving far away, engagements, weddings, even babies. There is real life.
College is different for everyone, and the same is true of life after college. Look at your friends. Some are applying to grad school; some are engaged and soon to be married; some are finding jobs; and a few may be moving to Europe or somewhere else far away. Others have no idea what they will be doing. Everyone's plans for after college are different, but for the next eight weeks, all our plans are the same. Because for the next eight weeks we are all still undergraduate college students writing papers, taking exams, finishing up grad requirements, and being college students. So for the next eight weeks, let's all be just that, college students. Spring break is over, but the fun isn't. We have eight weeks to take advantage of all a university environment has to offer. In the next eight weeks, make an impact on your university the way it has impacted you over the past three and a half years. In the last half of your senior semester, I challenge you to these things.
Be forewarned, this is not your typical bucket list. While there may be a few classics tucked away in this list, this list is designed to both enrich your college experience and end your time as an undergrad with a bang.
Go see a movie at your campus theater. How many other times will you be able to see a newly released movie for $2? (okay, $2.50 with popcorn). One night, gather up a group of friends and go see a movie just like freshman year when you didn't have a car and were stuck on campus. Ten years down the road when we are paying $30 to see a movie you will look back on these times and smile.
Take a class at your university gym. Gym memberships in the real world are expensive, y'all, and on-campus gyms are a gift. They have great classes and you cannot beat the price. Take advantage of that. Plus, they're fun!
Participate in a large-scale campus philanthropy event . These are so much fun. Dance Marathon, Relay for Life, 5K races, The Big Event -- these give you the opportunity to make a real difference while making memories and having fun with your friends. Sure, grown up charity events are fun -- balls and galas -- but how many times will you be able to dance the night away for 12 hours for the kids?
Get coffee with a professor. This is a big one. Maybe a little uncomfortable, but it will be worth it once you get past the initial awkwardness. Professors have something we lack. Life experience, and more importantly life experience in the field we are studying. It may seem weird, but professors love this kind of stuff. They want to be able to help us and offer advice. They have been in our shoes and they have been successful. They only want the best for their students and they have a great deal of professional and life experience to offer.
Take headshots. Eventually, you will have to cave and get a LinkedIn profile and your Cancun pics will no longer do. Utilize the talent on your campus and ask your photographer friend (everyone knows one) to take professional head shots in front of your favorite buildings on campus. It will be both practical and sentimental!
Streak the Quad. Because, why not?
Go to a baseball game. Everyone has been to a football or basketball game, but how many times have you been to a baseball or other spring sport event? These teams are just as much a part of the University as football or basketball, so go support them, too! Plus they are really fun and it's a great way to enjoy the beautiful spring time weather.
Go downtown. Most of us are 21 and up already do this, but it cannot be stressed enough. College towns have super trendy cafes and bars. Take advantage of being so close to these venues. Don't just limit downtown to weekend nights, go for brunch, a good cup of coffee, or some ice cream.
Embrace the local community. Springtime in small towns is great! There are so many things to do, craft fairs, food tastings, horseback riding, puppy farms, petting zoos, museums, natural landmarks. Be a townie, go to craft fairs and try new local foods! Go on little trips and see what is out there beyond campus. Talk to people! From my experience, adults love to hear what young people are planning to do with their lives. You never know from whom you will get great life advice or network! The community will love it, and so will you.
Go on a hike. The weather will soon be the perfect temperature for a hike, not too hot, not too cool. Take advantage of the beautiful weather to enjoy nature, relax and unwind. For the few hours you're on the trail you don't have to think about post-grad plans.
Hang out with your freshman roommate. Maybe you're still close, maybe you're not. Either way, hang out with them and reminisce the past four years! Look back at old pictures and laugh about how out of style clothes and hair from four years ago are now.
Go to the dining hall. All you can eat campus dining halls may be a bit expensive if you don't have a meal plan, but take this splurge just for one dinner! This would be a perfect opportunity to meet up with your freshman roommate. Eat some pizza then go back for some more french fries.Go all out. Finish with some ice cream, or cake, or cookies, or heck, all three. You are only in college for eight more weeks. Eat those feelings (then maybe take that gym class).
Order campus cookies. Spoiler alert, the real world does not deliver fresh baked cookies at 2 a.m. on a weeknight. So take advantage of that little bit of heaven while you still have a chance, and if you're feeling guilty the next day, just take another gym class (they're still free).
Road trip. Get some friends together, grab a map and go somewhere. You don't need a destination, you can just explore and wind up some place you've never heard of before. Put the windows down, turn on the nineties summer playlist on Pandora (you'll thank me later) and jam out. There are very few opportunities post grad to randomly leave everything and go on a trip with your friends.
Read a book on the Quad. Spring will soon have sprung, so grab a book -- not a textbook. Maybe grab that one that has been sitting on your shelf all year that you haven't had time to read, and go sit on the quad with some friends. Maybe play Frisbee, throw a football, take time to relax and soak up the sun in between classes.
These are merely a few of the possible activities you could do in the next eight weeks. Although eight weeks goes by quickly, it is still a significant amount of time. I challenge all graduating seniors to not let this time pass, but to take full advantage of it. This is our last opportunity in which our time belongs only to ourselves. Amazing things can happen in eight short weeks so go out, have fun, act like a freshman, be safe, make a difference, leave a legacy.
The real world will be here soon enough. Don't rush it!
