With less than two months until graduation, I’ve started thinking about the bucket list I made my freshman year. How many of these have you checked off?

1. Explore Campus

This one is obvious, but if you haven't already, get to know campus. Bike the River Trail, learn the bus routes, and walk through the courtyards in every neighborhood. You’ll notice how different every neighborhood feels; while Brody is modern, West Circle will remind you of Hogwarts. Take it a step further and try to go in every building at least once. There’s so much to see, so break away from your normal routine and check new places out. Go to open skate at Munn or bowling at the Union. Of course, no campus tour would be complete without climbing on the Sparty Statue to get a picture!

2. Find the Hidden Gems

So you know about the Beal Botanical Garden, but have you been to the 4H Children’s Garden? It’s cute during the day, but can get creepy at night. I highly recommend both experiences. While you’re in the area, check out the Rose Garden, the English Tea Garden, and the Zen Garden. Also visit the Special Collections in the basement of the Main Library! Wade into the Red Cedar River…I dare you! (I promise, it’s not as toxic as it looks!)

3. Check out Lansing

You live too close to the Capitol City not to take the 1 Bus down there every now and then. Get a tour of the Capitol Building, and walk the mall behind it to the Supreme Court.

Try out some of the restaurants and bars. Go to Old Town and get brunch at Golden Harvest. Check out Preuss Pets, walk down to the Old Town General Store for cool local products, and window-shop the art galleries. It would be a shame to miss out on the cool city right next door.

4. Take Advantage of the Resources Available to You

Eat at every dining hall. Take a fitness class. Go to a show at the Wharton Center. Meet with your academic advisor to plan the best schedule for next year. Talk to your RA – you may be surprised to learn they’re pretty cool! Get to know your professors outside of class. If you need help with your classes, utilize the tutoring resources available. If you’re struggling with personal issues, go to the counseling center – it's included in your tuition! I’ve used most of these resources at least once, and they’ve made a big impact.

5. Get Involved

Go to Sparticipation and sign up for all of the clubs that interest you. You can pick your favorites later and ditch the rest. If you're really passionate about it, run for an E-board position! If you’re athletic, join a club team, or get a group of your friends together to form an IM team. If, like me, you’d rather be a fan, show your school spirit at MSU football, basketball, and hockey games.

6. Get a Job

From the dining halls to the front desks, from Sparty’s to the libraries, there are so many opportunities on campus! Some of my favorites have been giving Residence Hall tours for orientation, teaching Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence (SARV) Prevention workshops to incoming students, and writing for the Odyssey. Not your style? Expand your search to local restaurants and businesses, or even look for an internship at the Capitol. I’ve had three internships in my time at MSU, all of which I could get to by bus. This is a great way to expand your network and build your résumé.

7. Find You Passion

Remember how I said I worked for SARV? I started my sophomore year and have taught classes ever since. My involvement with SARV has shaped my focus at MSU; I added a Women’s and Gender Studies minor that focuses on sexual violence and served on the Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct Review Panel, where I review appeals to the Office of Institutional Equity’s decisions on RSVM Policy cases and determine sanctions for perpetrators. My involvement with SARV has also shaped my career goals after college and given me a leg-up in my job search.

8. Go Abroad

One of the reasons I chose MSU was for its amazing study abroad opportunities. Before I moved to campus, I was lucky enough to attend a freshman seminar abroad in Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town, South Africa, studying women’s activism in against apartheid. The summer before my junior year, I studied sustainable community development in Arusha, Tanzania, and worked with a Maasai community in Naitolia to get hands-on experience with international aid. Both of these programs gave unique opportunities to travel to countries I otherwise might never see, and I gained invaluable experiences. There are numerous scholarship opportunities to make these programs more affordable as well.

Time flies at college. You'll be a graduating senior before you know it. Take advantage of whatever remaining time you have on campus to work on your bucket list and check off as much as you can!