With only two years left in my undergraduate years, I’ve spent quite a bit of time this summer reflecting on what I’ve done so far in my college career. That being said, while getting the best grades is always a goal for me (especially with the professional program admission goals I have for myself), my reflection has NOT lead to any “I need to skip all social events to get good grades” or “I study too much” or any drastic thinking such as this. For the record, I am a firm believer in time management and that everything a person could ever want to do can be achieved if they plan their time well enough.

So what has come out of my reflection, then, if it’s not the “I study too much” thinking? My college bucket list. Most are items that, sometime during my college career so far, I either heard about someone else doing or read about somewhere online or in a movie or something. Some may seem VERY strange (in fact, many of them are very strange or completely random). However, all are things that I have the goal of accomplishing sometime in the next two years before I am done with my undergraduate years. While many will not be accomplished, I hope to complete as many as possible before I graduate. Without further ado….

1. Kayak on the Chicago River

This is by far the biggest activity I am looking forward to doing at some point during the next two years. I have only been kayaking once in my life, and I absolutely loved it despite the fact that all I did was go back and forth in the ocean over about a 200-meter strip for an hour. My struggle with this activity up until this point was the lack of a significant other in general, or one that would voluntarily venture into the Chicago River with me. However, in light of my recent single adventures, I have decided that this is an activity that I will still strive to do regardless. (Also, I now know that I have FANTASTIC roommates and teammates that would go with me in a heartbeat and I love them for that)

2. Beer Mile

While I wish nothing else than to take credit for this, I saw it on a Summer Bucket list and thought it sounded like a great (and by great I mean incredibly dumb) idea. A beer mile consists of the participant drinking four beers as quickly as they can, and then running a mile. Pretty simple, right? This one, similar to any other alcohol related items, is currently postponed pending my 21st birthday this upcoming October.

3. Road Trip

A few of my teammates took a road trip to California after this past semester, and they had an absolute blast. Unfortunately, an internship and other prior commitments, I was unable to plan a trip of my own. However, this is something I would most definitely like to do with my college friends before I graduate. Not sure where we would go, or who would drive, but those are details that can easily be arranged later.

4. Wear Crocs to a bar

To many of my friend’s dismay, I am an avid Croc supporter. I even recently bought new Jibbitz for my Crocs on my family reunion vacation to the Jersey Shore. (How many people could say they have or would buy Jibbitz from the Jersey Shore?) That being said, this is something that I wish to accomplish just for the sake of being able to say that I, Jennifer Novak, successfully managed to wear crocs to a bar.

5. Meet Donald Trump, preferably at Trump Tower

Just so I can tell him how great America already is WITHOUT his help…

6. Couple run down Lakeshore

This may happen, it may not… Regardless, I still plan to continue my weekly solo or roommate runs down Lakeshore until I graduate and beyond. (I may or may not also be testing my future boyfriend to see if they can keep up with my sporadic overly-energetic phases).

7. Skinny dipping or streaking

Despite my 20 years of age (and how bad of an idea this realistically is), this is an activity that I have yet to have the pleasure of partaking in. For that reason, however silly it may seem, it is something that I want to do almost just to be able to say that I did it once in my life. Plus, I have lived my life in a pretty straight and narrow path for the majority of my time alive so far, so I want to experience something a little out of the box.

8. Go to the Skydeck at the Sears tower (or 360 Chicago at the Hancock)

Regardless of the fact that I have lived in the city of Chicago or a suburb for my entire life, I have never had the pleasure of partaking in this very touristy activity.

9. Get a drink on a rooftop bar

Chicago is awesome. Who wouldn’t want to consume alcoholic beverages while enjoying the beautiful site that is Chicago at night? (Again, this activity is one hold pending my 21^st birthday in October)

10. Try 5 new coffee shops that are independently owned

I do love my Starbucks, but recently I have discovered a love for the cute, little coffee shops that you happen to stumble upon walking through the streets rather than in the Maps app of your iPhone. My hope is to find more of these shops in my ventures out and about in the city, so no matter what part of the city I am in, I can enjoy a cute creation rather than an iced White Mocha that I can get at any Starbucks across the nation.

So yes, a few of the activities I wish to accomplish may be a little strange, but for anyone that knows me, that should not be surprising at all. If an activity is on a bucket list, and it isn’t at least a LITTLE out of the ordinary, should it be on a bucket list? I vote no. With that, wish me luck. My time is already ticking, and I can't waste another minute more.