And here we are- a week before classes start. The very first spring semester of college for some of you and the very last spring semester of college for a sadder bunch of us. If I were more on top of my game I would have published this list towards the beginning of the school year, posted it all over campus, and done everything in my power to make this the ubiquitous bucket list for the class of 2016 as they prepare to squeeze everything they can out of this last semester of college. But alas, I am not as on top of things as I had hoped--seniors now only have half a year to complete this list. I am of course operating under the impression that my articles are so widely read that, as soon as this list goes live, people will scramble to finish it because it seems like a good thing to do (I know this is delusional but let me have my fun!).
Bucket lists usually don’t appeal to me. I mean, why define your life by a bunch of pretty meaningless tasks as opposed to larger scale experiences? However, as my college life is drawing to a close, I’ve realized how special these times in school are. I know that sounds cheesy but college life (especially at Wash U) is like living in a pampered privileged bubble in which everything you love is pretty much within a 5-mile radius. Here at Wash U, you are surrounded by peers who are just as bright, driven, energetic (and young) as you are, which is something we all take for granted. I hate to say this, but the next time you’ll be that geographically close to all your friends will probably be when you all retire at the same retirement home in South Florida. Since sadly, we cannot remain in college forever, I’ve developed this pseudo-bucket list of 37 things to do to help us seniors make the most out of this too short but undoubtedly incredible last semester of college, because why not?
1. Be the first person in line for BD brunch.
2. Be the first person in line for Village brunch.
3. High-five Chancellor Wrighton (I know this is shooting for the stars but I have faith in you).
4. Paint the Underpass.
5. Check out a book from Olin (yes an actual made from dead trees book).
6. Attend a class you aren’t enrolled in (not a class you are about to drop).
7. Chase a Squirrel.
8. Eat (and drink obviously) at the Knight Center Pub.
9. Somehow get to the top of Brookings (idk if this is possible just throwing it out there).
10. Take a tour of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery (who knows what dishwater beer is brewed in whatever state you end up post grading in).
11. Throw yourself, soul, and spirit into the theme for some sort of mixer/party/dinner/etc like really emulate a freshman girl who spends $50 on her costume efforts here.
12. Ice Skate somewhere if it ever gets cold.
13. Engage in a friendly or not so friendly snowball fight (contingent on weather and snowpack quality, if it doesn’t snow engage in a friendly or not so friendly man-made snowball fight aka peg little ice cubes at people. It’s just as fun I promise you).
14. Go on a hike. The Ozarks are beaut and there are many other trees filled walking trails to be found.
15. In that same vein, go on a float trip. Embrace the river people and befriend at least three.
16. Go up in that Arch for god’s sake. You’ll probably never have the chance to go up it again so now is the time!
17. Hit up the Estro and the AC and the track in one day, or one week you know you do you.
18. Enjoy a picnic in Forest Park.
19. Compete in an Intramural Sport or just do some sort of sport on Mudd Field.
20. Attend something that happens in Edison Theater.
21. Get some real life Italian food on The Hill.
22. Make a home-cooked meal aka not eggs or toast or noodles like a REAL MEAL
23. Watch all the plays at Thurtene AND go on the Ferris wheel.
24. Participate in Relay for Life.
25. Watch a sunset somewhere nice, not like crawl out of Olin and squint at the pinkish sky as you walk home blinded from being inside studying all day like really see a real gorgeous sunset.
26. Sleep somewhere on campus for a night not pull an all nighter or something but sleep in a campus building or in the grass (but somewhere WUPD can’t find you and force you to go home)
27. Steal something from Wash U (but not something you know that would get you in jail just like idk borrow a sign or fork or cup from somewhere? Just nab something Wash U won’t miss too much, lord knows your 60K tuition probably helped pay for it).
28. Eat at Blue Hill. This is probs the most dangerous thing on the list. While darts and drinks at Bhill are on point their food is at best reheated Kraft Mac and Cheese.
29. Do trivia at both Duffy’s and MPH and then declare an unwavering loyalty to one of the two.
30. Do karaoke at both Duffy’s and T’s (T’s doesn’t have karaoke you say?! Well clearly you have never been there early enough on a Wednesday so shame on you).
31. Avoid doing something that is just so typically “college” ie. DO NOT string a hammock or some weird brightly colored alternative between two trees on the outskirts of Mudd Field and then proceed to lay in said hammock, like why do that when there are several perfectly good hammocks (made of STRING as they should be (for example check DJ Khaled’s snap story) outside Danforth.
32. Read a student publication (I guess if you’re reading this list then that counts hooray! One down!)
33. Attend one of those shindings SU puts on such as those comedians they get or famous people etc.
34. Decorate your cap? (idk if this is a thing Wustl people will do but I’ve seen some pretty great ones online but then again we’re all “academic” so maybe that whole artsy fun decorate your graduation cap thing isn’t gonna fly but I say you deserve it decorate that damn thing however you like!).
35. Allow yourself to get a little teary eyed at graduation.
36. GRADUATE AND BECOME A BEAR FOR LIFE!
