College is an amazing time. Now that I'm almost a college graduate, I like to look back at my college career. There are some things I would like to have done differently and some things I need to make sure that I do before December.
College is the last time in your life where you can be irresponsible and have a ton of fun without feeling bad about it. I mean, it might look a little shady if you roll up to your first day of your real world job hungover from a night of partying, but rolling up to SOC 3500 with a hangover is totally acceptable.
Here are the things I believe every college student should have on their bucket list.
1. Pull An All Nighter
I'm a big advocate of pulling all nighter to do school work and an all nighter to party. Thankfully, I've only pulled one all nighter to study. I work at my school's union and during finals week we stay open until 2am. I was scheduled to work that night and had a final the next day at 8am. I decided to maximize my time and stay up and study. I've had a bunch of all nighters for party related reasons. I remember one night I went out with my girlfriends and at the end of the night we went back to my friend's apartment. A few of our bartender friends met up with us there and we went and got breakfast. I didn't even realize how early it was until I saw the sun rising after we left the diner. Those types of memories stay with you and are totally invaluable.
2. Attend As Many Concerts As Possible
One awesome thing about both my job and my internship is the fact that I get amazing seats at the concerts put on by my school or the theatre. My boss lets us reserve tickets a head of time so I've been in the second row at some awesome shows and my internship lets me literally be backstage watching Marcus Mumford run around the dressing rooms in his underwear. I was fortunate enough to get to go to my boss the Mumford and Sons Red Rocks show the week after they played our theatre. It was amazing. We were VIP and got the opportunity to be on that stage. It's an experience I will never forget. Many universities are able to bring in big upcoming artists and charge a discounted ticket rate to students. Nothing beats live music and the energy of a crowd.
3. Kiss A Stranger
One night I was sitting at a bar trying to get the bartenders attention when I started talking to this guy next to me. He was so cute. One thing led to another and he just said "we should kiss". So I did. And then I walked away. It was spontaneous and I think everyone needs a little of that in their lives, especially during their college years.
4. Road Trip!
Road trips are amazing. Being trapped in a car with someone for hours in a new place really allows you the opportunity to get to know your friends in a whole new way. I've been on several mini road trips and one big one. I flew out to Pennsylvania the summer after my freshman year and helped a girlfriend pack up her Uhaul and drive back to Wyoming. The road trip lasted about 3 days. It was a lot of fun but I definitely don't recommend doing a trip like that with just one person as they can get annoying after a while. The trips I've had the most fun on are the smaller ones. One day my friend Brooke and I were talking about what we were going to do one weekend and she suggested driving about 3 hours to Encampment to stay at a friends house. We ended up getting lost and ended up in Northern Colorado and had to turn around. I had so much fun on that trip just talking and singing Call Me Maybe at the top of my lungs.
5. Throw A Party
My roommates and I have had plenty of small parties with close friends just sitting around playing drinking games. Those are always fun but I think it's a must do to throw one huge rager. One of my friends and I threw and ABC (anything but clothes) party. It was amazing. We had around 30 people packed into her tiny apartment. There was no drama, just a lot of people dressed up in ridiculous costumes making the most out of the last night of summer.
6. Get On The Dean's List
I know that I'm coming off as a huge party girl but academics are important to. I mean it is college after all. Getting on the Dean's List is a huge deal and an awesome thing to add to your resume. College is a great way to manage your social life with your academic/work life. Getting on the Dean's List and maintaing some type of life outside of school means that you have a real shot at being successful in the real world. It's all about priorities and managing your time.
7. Live On Campus
I know this one might be on everyone's to do list but I loved living in the dorms. My RA was amazing and my floor was really social. In high school I was painfully shy and introverted. I had a hard time making friends and approaching people so college seemed a little scary at first. I was scared that I wouldn't make friends and I would continue the cycle of being a loner. Thankfully that was not the case. When you first get to college everyone is in the same boat; they all want to make friends. Living on campus allows you to be on the same floor as at least 30 other people and you're bound to make at least one friend. Knowing you're friend is just down the hall when you're feeling home sick or your roommate is driving you crazy is a great feeling! At first you might be hesitant about dorm life, but trust me it is well worth it.
8. Get Crazy!
I know I'm coming off as a huge partier, but college is all about cutting lose and finding yourself. A little experimentation is totally necessary in order to find out who you are. Do something memorable like dancing on the bar. I once danced on the bar and poured shots in everyone's mouth. I have no idea how I got away with it but it is a high light of my college career.
9. Participate In Campus Activities
Join a club, run for student government, volunteer on campus. It's important to be involved! You're going to be stuck at this institution for at least four years and you can't spend all of your time in the library or out partying. Getting involved on campus is a great way to not only build up your resume and network but it's also an opportunity to make new friends and have an influence on what goes on around campus.
10. Study Abroad
Unfortunately I am not able to do this, but one of my friends is currently spending his semester in London. I am so jealous! He posts all of these amazing pictures of his travels on Facebook and it makes me hate Wyoming more and more each day. Don't get me wrong I love little Laramie but I want to get out and see the world and I'm kicking myself for not being able to right now.
Of course there are a ton of other things you can add to this list. It's all about preference. College is where you find yourself and set out on your own for the first time. It's the place where you will make some of your best friends and memories that will last a life time. I mean don't you want to be the cool grandma that danced on the bar the night she found out she made the Dean's List and got accepted to school in France?
