My College Bucket List

A few days ago, I drove through my alma mater's campus and was flooded with memories.  College truly was the best four years of my life.  It is such a strange time in your life because although you're technically an adult, you're not quite in the adult world. I thought of a few things that I would advise this year's high school grads when it comes to university life.

1. Study abroad.  Whether it's for a year, a semester, or a summer, definitely go abroad.  There are wonderful programs for students and it's truly the adventure of a lifetime.  Once you get settled in your career and family, it's more difficult to take time (and money) and go overseas.  From my experience, museums/trains/hostels, etc had a reduced rate for students under 25.  Go while you can!

2. Live in the dorms (for at least a year).  Most dorms have come a long way from communal bathrooms and mold on the walls.  There's a certain luxury of waking up five minutes before class and walking to the building next door for 9:00 am English class.  It definitely beats driving around and around a parking lot trying to find a spot.

3.  Open your door.  While living in the dorm, I would sit on my bean bag chair and watch sitcoms with my door open.  I met many cool people who would catch me watching Golden Girls and come in to trade Blanche Devereux quotes.

4. Take a class for the hell of it.  You have to have your gen ed classes and you have to have your major/minor classes but squeeze in a class that sounds like fun to you.  When else are you going to be able to take bellydancing or dinosaurs?

5. Take advantage of on campus services.  Feeling blue?  Most counseling services on campus are confidential and free.  Feeling that freshman 15?  Get your butt to that new state of the art gym that would cost $50 a month to someone off the streets.  Undecided about a major?  Career services can help you find something that matches your interests.  There are so many great resources that are available that many don't take advantage of.

6. Go through rush.  Even if you aren't into the whole Greek thing, participate in rush week and see what it's about.  You could find your best friend forever or at the very least, have a great story to tell at happy hour.

7. Attend a sporting event/play/concert on campus.  Student tickets are often way cheap. Broaden your horizons and try new things!