As scary as this sounds to anyone in my position, in less than two weeks I'll be starting my final year of undergrad education at UVA. I've already written articles before that address this topic, and I'm sure this won't be the last time I write an article that attempts to describe how I'm feeling about this time in my life. One thing I have been reflecting on this summer is how to make the most of my 4th year once I return to Charlottesville. I've decided to address this by taking the traditional "New Years Resolution" mindset and applying it to all the things I'd like to see and do during my 4th year.
1. See a concert at Sprint Pavilion
Spring Pavilion, the outdoor venue at the end of the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville, always gets fantastic concerts every year. Artists like Avett Brothers, Vance Joy, Sheryl Crow, and so many others have graced its stage over the past decade, but somehow their concert lineup has never perfectly aligned with my schedule or with an artist that I really wanted to see. I really love outdoor concerts, and I'll be checking their website frequently this year in the hopes that the stars will finally align and one of my favorite artists will play there on a night I'm actually free.
2. Try one new Charlottesville restaurant per month
Aside from its many historical sights, Charlottesville is also well known for its fantastic restaurants. UVA students are truly blessed with the incredible array of options we have to choose from, but after three years as a student, I still have yet to try many of Charlottesville's highest-rated restaurants. So this year, I want to further explore the cuisine in Charlottesville without breaking the bank.
3. Actually use the pool at my apartment complex (that I have free access to)
Where I live, there's a small window of time when it's warm enough to use the outdoor pool and the outdoor pool is actually open. This amounts to basically just late August and September, and a couple of weeks in May around finals time. Last year I kept meaning to take a dip in the pool on weekends, but every time I thought about it, I was either busy or it was raining out. Hopefully this year I can enjoy some relaxing pool time without taking time away from all of my other 4th year responsibilities.
4. Go to a wider variety of school sporting events
As with many schools, the main sports that UVA students go to during the year are football and, especially, basketball. Last year I started branching out a little and attended a couple of soccer games, along with my first UVA baseball game ever. For 4th year, in order to max out both my Sabre points and my school spirit, I'm going to try to attend a few more different sports this year. Our field hockey, lacrosse, and swim teams always need supporting, even if they're not as high-profile as the seven-foot-tall guys that take the arena in JPJ.
5. Take advantage of the wineries, breweries, and cideries all around Charlottesville
Pretty much every weekend last year, I saw Snapchats and pictures of my 4th-year friends relaxing at wineries with friends or family. I had no idea of the sheer amount of wineries and breweries that were in and around Cville when I first started at UVA. There seem to be literally dozens of them. Now that I'm a 4th year (and 21) I'd love to check them out. Enjoying a relaxing afternoon outside, with beautiful scenery surrounding you and a glass of locally made wine in hand, sounds like the perfect way to do 4th year right.
6. Plan a fun, once-in-a-lifetime trip to take during Spring break
My roommate and I are both big baseball fans, and we've had already been talking for months about going down to Spring Training in Florida during Spring break of our 4th year. I've always wanted to go, and I've also never done a classic "college spring break trip" like you read about or see in movies. As much as I love going home over Spring break, this year I'd like to expand my horizons a little and cross a major item off of my bucket list.
7. Go to as many school-sponsored 4th year events as I possibly can
Every year at UVA, my Facebook feed has been filled with 4th years I know that are RSVPing to all sorts of events, like trivia nights, dinners, drink specials, discounted admissions, and much more. This year, I plan to take advantage of all the "4th year free food" that comes my way, but not just for the free food itself. I imagine that attending lots of 4th year events will make me continuously grateful for the wonderful experience I've had at UVA, while also hopefully making me excited about what the future holds.
8. Be proactive about my job search so I can live with more ease second semester
I've heard a lot of differing advice on the postgrad job search, from "jump on it as soon as possible when 4th year starts" to "don't even worry about getting a job until after you graduate," and just about everything in between. Knowing myself, I think I'd get a little anxious if I waited too long to start job hunting, but I also will try to leverage the connections I already have to make seeking employment as stress-free as possible.
9. Continue working as hard as I can in all of my classes to get the most out of my education
I've heard of the notion "4th year f--- it" when it comes to putting full effort towards classes, particularly during second semester. However, I'm really excited about all of the classes I'm taking/want to take next year, and I feel that it would be a complete waste if I started skipping classes or not putting in my full effort. Though 4th year is certainly a time to have fun, this year I'm looking forward to learning even more about subjects that truly interest me and strengthening relationships with my professors.
10. High-five Dean Groves at least once
This always pops up on the "119 Things To Do Before You Graduate" lists, which I look forward to scouring and following throughout my 4th year. Though I've seen Dean Groves speak at many events over the years I don't think I've ever actually high-fived him. I hope that as 4th year goes on, I'll have a chance to say hi to him in person and cross this activity of lore off of my to-do list.
Among all of this advice, the one tidbit I've heard echoed again and again from those who have already graduated college is, "enjoy your 4th year as much as possible, because you have the rest of your life after that to worry about real-world things like jobs." I don't want to spend my 4th year with my head in the clouds, mindlessly having fun and ignoring responsibilities, but I really feel that with the right can-do attitude, this will be a great year at UVA. For all of you rising 4th years out there, let's pledge to make this year in Hooville the best one yet.
