For those of you who were like me and are in denial that your senior (and hopefully final) year of college is already upon you, I am here to hit you with some reality. It IS here! It IS happening! So stop thinking about all the things you want to do your senior year, get off your booty and start actually doing those things!Â
As a fellow senior, I am here to start you off on the right path with a bucket list. Feel free to add your own adventures to experience along your friends.Â
Travel to an away football game. Alright, Oklahoma? Maybe not, but you definitely need to experience another SEC game day like Georgia or South Carolina. I went to Oxford last season when Ole Miss played Texas A&M, and it was b-a-n-a-n-a-s! And I didn't even actually go into the stadium. The Vols take on Ole Miss over fall break this season, so make it a long weekend and go with a big group. Even if you don't get a ticket to the game, tailgating in The Grove and going out in Oxford afterwards will absolutely make the trip worth it. And please don't settle and say you "went to an away game" when really you only traveled the two and a half hours to Nashville to watch the game in Vandy's sorry excuse for a stadium. That does not count!Â
Eat at every restaurant on The Strip at least once. Obviously we've all been to Cookout and Mickey D's more times than we care to admit, but have you tried the new place BurgerFi? Or Oscars Tacos? Or have you had a buffalo chicken quesadilla for lunch from Tin Roof? Because it will change your life. When you are telling people where to go in Knoxville you don't want to have to say "No I've never eaten there, but I heard it was good."Â
Go to as many campus events as possible. Carnicus, Sex Week, All Sing, Homecoming, Lipsync, cooking programs, international nights, festivals, philanthropy events, probates, etc. Anything and everything! Go and enjoy yourself. There is usually free food at these things and who doesn't enjoy that?
Attend a Knoxville Ice Bears Game. Hockey is just a fun sport to watch. When the gloves come off, the party starts. The atmosphere is amazing and if you go on a good night, you might even see some wiener dog races. Yeah, wiener dog races.Â
Sneak into Neyland Stadium. Ok most of the time you don't actually have to sneak in because if you go around the side where the Volcard office is, there is usually a gate or two open. I've just waltzed right in twice and had no problems. Make sure you get a nice selfie to prove it happened. Â
Frolic in the fountains at Worlds Fair Park. Um, maybe my guy readers should disregard this one. Or don't, whatever. I'm not trying to tell you how to live your life. But seriously this one has been on my list for the past three years, and I still haven't gone! I hear it's pretty freakin' fantastic though.Â
Most importantly, never say "no." "Hey wanna go to Mezcal?" YES. "Hey wanna go up to the bluffs" YES. "Hey wanna be my date for this date party" YES. No matter what it is, your answer should (almost) always be YES. This is the time to live it up. It's your last year where you can goof off and not have as many responsibilities as you will when you have to grow up and be a part of the "real world." Who cares if you have a paper due tomorrow? NO RAGRETS! Tin Roof closes at like 2 or 3 a.m., which means you will have the whole rest of the night and morning to write the paper. Who needs sleep? Not you. Not this year!
Try your hardest to not just laze around all year. Netflix binges are ok every now and then, but don't waste your time. Be with friends and enjoy yourself! We will be walking across that stage in Thompson Bolling before you know it. Make sure you can look back at your college experience and instead of thinking, "I wish..." make sure you can say, "Hell yeah, I did!" Starting RIGHT NOW, go out and conquer senior year my fellow senior class of 2015!Â