In honor of Hope College's sesquicentennial, here is a list of 150 things to do before you graduate.
First things first:
1. Choose Hope College.
Good choice, good choice.
2. Fill out housing and roommate information.
3. Go in blind for roommate assignments.
May the odds be ever in your favor.
4. Get your roommate assignment.
Dear God, please let this work!
5. Pick your classes using RateMyProfessors.com.
6. Buy your textbooks.
What is a "course pack?" I wonder how much I'll use these books?
7. Move in as soon as the residential hall opens.
8. Have the orientation staff lug your boxes, fridge, carpet, bedding, and clothes up three flights of stairs.
Don't get used to it, you won't have them next year.
9. Meet your roommate in person.
She seems normal enough.
10. Meet your RA. Meet your neighbors, their parents, siblings, everyone! Meet everyone!
11. Unpack everything. Welcome to your home for the next eight months.
12. Orientation.
13. Meet your OA leaders.
14. Get your ID, parking sticker, laundry card, keys, and order your yearbook.
15. Go to your all hall meeting.
16. Playfair!
So that was Playfair...I don't think I remember anyone's name.
17. Block party!
18. DONUT RUN!!!
Midnight munchies are satisfied at Goodtime Donuts.
19. Figure out where your classes are.
20. Buy an ENO hammock.
21. Go to opening Convocation.
22. Take a picture in front of the anchor.
FYI: You have to take a picture in front of the anchor at the beginning of each year.
23. Take a picture with the roomie in front of your residential hall's sign.
24. Say "goodbye" to mom and dad.
25. Go to the "Donut House" and "Grilled Cheese House."
You'll thank me and yourself.
26. Go to the Student Activities Fair.
Sailing club could be fun...and I might come out of it with Instagram-worthy pictures!
27. Watch the groundbreaking ceremony for the Bultman Student Center.
History is being made...and I also get a free T-shirt and Frisbee.
28. Picnic in the Pine Grove with the rest of the student body and distinguished guests.
29. Enjoy a free concert at Groovin' In the Grove.
30. First day of classes!
That wasn't too bad. College is going to be easy!
31. Review your syllabi.
College is not going to be easy.
32. Go to the first home soccer game of the year.
#RollDutch
33. Pick up the first issue of the college newspaper, The Anchor.
34. Go to Chapel at least once and decide if you like it.
35. Post typical-Hope-College-kid Instagrams of Dimnent Chapel.
36. Explore downtown Holland.
Why not? It's only blocks from campus!
37. Go to Holland's farmer's market.
38. Go to JP's.
39. Go to Lemonjello's.
40. Decide which coffee shop is best.
41. Go to the Kletz on Thursdays to listen to students like you share their talent.
42. Learn what "Kletz" means.
I'll give you a hint: It's Dutch.
43. Go to the drive-in movie at the Pine Grove.
44. Abide by the "October Rule."
No dating until October 1 to scope out your options—sounds good to me.
45. Go to the beach with friends.
46. Be a rebel and go to "The Bowl."
Just watch out for the police...
47. Order the Tommy Turtle Sundae at Captain Sundae and you'll understand what all the talk is about.
48. Go "church shopping."
49. Go to Pillar Church's Root Beer Kegger.
50. Go to class on Labor Day.
51. Go to The Pull rally for your year.
Odd year vs. Even year.
52. If you are the least bit interested, go to the first Pull practice and see what it takes to be a moraler or puller.
53. Go to The Pull.
Let's go down to the Black River to experience the 118th year of this tug of war.
54. Go to ArtPrize. It's 30 minutes away in Grand Rapids, but it's worth a day trip with friends.
55. Go to downtown Holland's Live Mannequin Night.
People posing in the windows of downtown Holland's shops. This year's theme is Disney.
56. Go to Crane Orchards to pick apples.
57. Go to a football game.
Especially the Homecoming game.
58. Know what it means to "bleed orange and blue."
59. Get a picture with Dutch the mascot.
60. Go to the Homecoming Hoedown.
Line dances, cider, donuts, hay rides, and a petting zoo. This is what summer nights were made for.
61. Enjoy Fall Crawl when you're 21.
62. Go to Club Durf on Halloween.
63. Participate in or see Nykerk.
An 81-year tradition for the women of Hope College.
64. Participate in Relay for Life.
65. Go see a musical or play at Hope's very own DeWitt Theatre.
66. Go to SAC (student activities committee) events.
67. Stand in line for Hope vs. Calvin tickets.
Get comfy, you're going to be there for a while.
68. Go to a Hope vs. Calvin basketball game.
The rivalry is real.
69. Become a part of the Dew Crew.
70. Be a proud Hope College Dutchman.
71. Watch the 2014 NCAA Division III National Championship women's volleyball team in action.
72. Watch VanderProv.
73. Listen to WTHS 89.9, Hope College's student radio.
74. Write for The Anchor.
75. Submit your writing to the Opus.
76. Go to one of the Visiting Writer's Series nights.
77. Climb Nykerk.
RIP Nykerk. You will be missed.
77. Use the Bultman Student Center in 2017.
78. Explore the Jack H. Miller music building.
It's big and beautiful!
79. Walk through the Kruizenga Art Museum.
All the art in the museum is a part of Hope College's permanent collection.
80. Watch a movie at the Knickerbocker.
Bringing you a collection of Independent films.
81. Play Sardines in the Science Center.
82. Explore the Rare Books Room in the library's basement.
Just don't get stuck in there in the event of a fire.
83. Workout in the Dow.
Fight off the Freshman 15!
84. Go to at least one Gathering.
85. Attend a Bible study.
86. Hold an on-campus job.
87. Witness a "Chapel Run."
88. Spend an afternoon at Windmill Island.
89. Form a relationship with a professor.
They are awesome people who will push you because they want to see you succeed.
90. Find your people.
These are the people who will stick by you until the very end.
91. Go into Van Vleck.
It is the oldest building on campus.
92. Explore Voorhees hall.
Wow! It does look like Hogwarts in here.
93. Explore Dykstra's clusters.
Six rooms open onto a living room and is connected to another cluster by a hallway and bathroom.
94. Go on late-night Meijer, Taco Bell, and McDonald's runs.
95. Get "Hachos" from Sammy's.
96. Try Mr. Yu's Chinese food.
It's a small Chinese takeout place inside a gas station.
97. Go to half-off-apps at Applebee's with friends.
98. If you're female, get "girled" out of Durfee.
99. Take midterms on like a champ.
100. Seek help from the Academic Success Center, Career Development Center, CAPS (counseling and psychological services) and the Klooster Center for Excellence in Writing.
These are all free services, so you might as well use them.
101. Become a fan of Ben Rector.
102. Apply to be an RA.
103. Sled in the DeWitt bowl.
104. Have a snowball fight in the Pine Grove.
105. Go to the President's tree lighting ceremony.
106. Get a picture with President Knapp.
107. Go to Christmas Vespers.
108. Pray for a snow day all through winter.
109. Go abroad.
110. Meet international students.
They are really great people, who you can learn so much from.
111. Help out perspective students on Visit Days.
Maybe even host one for the night.
112. Go to a Hockey game.
113. Check out Greek life.
To rush or not to rush? That is up to you.
114. Attend Winter Fantasia.
It's like prom in the winter.
115. In the winter, adventure out to Big Red and stand on frozen waves.
116. Participate in Dance Marathon in some way.
Twenty-four hours of no sleep and being on your feet for the children.
117. Do a Spring Break volunteer immersion trip somewhere around the U.S.
118. Watch a lacrosse game.
119. Watch a baseball game.
120. Study in the Pine Grove.
121. Declare your major(s).
122. Meet your advisor.
They will guide you through your four years.
123. Participate in a group project.
124. Go to the Celebration of Undergraduate Research.
125. Go to room draw.
Pick your room wisely, young one.
126. Move out of the residential halls and into the on-campus housing.
127. Name your off-campus house, apartment, or cottage.
128. Experience the food that Cook has to offer.
129. Watch the Student Dance Showcase.
130. Watch Dance 42.
131. Go to Wystock.
A music festival presented by Wycoff residence hall.
132. Watch black squirrels chase one another.
133. Play frolf in the Pine Grove.
Frolf: Frisbee golf.
134. Own more Hope apparel than normal everyday clothes.
What do you mean Hope apparel isn't everyday clothes?
135. Don't get hit by a car while crossing the street.
For some reason, people like to step out in front of traffic.
136. Go to Spring Fling.
137. Enjoy May Day when you're 21.
138. Go to "Stein Night" at New Holland Brewing Company once you turn 21.
139. Eat in the Kletz.
140. Study in the Kletz.
141. Fall asleep in the library while studying.
142. Pull an all-nighter.
Did you even go to college if you didn't do one of these?
143. Take your final exams.
144. Try to sell your books back to the bookstore.
145. Get an internship.
146. Get the ring by spring.
147. Stick around Holland after school has ended for Tulip Time.
148. Watch your upperclassmen friend(s) graduate.
That's going to be me in _____ year(s).
149. Graduate.
150. Move your things out one last time.
Thank you, Hope! It's been a great four years.
