Flowers are meekly budding, birds are boldly singing, and snow is sporadically flurrying. It must be spring in Chicago. With spring, senior shenanigans (and anxiety) go into full swing. Whether you're a senior or a junior struck by senioritis, here are some bucket list items that you absolutely must check off before you toss your hat in June.
1. Create that secret society into which you'd always hoped that you'd be invited.
No DERU for you? That's no problem! Why not become the founding member of the secret sisterhood of the traveling NU hoodie? Find some like-minded people (probably your friend group), create a secret Facebook group proclaiming your new affiliation, and giggle to yourself about your genius. I totally didn't do this last quarter, what are you talking about?
2. Paint something.
It could be The Rock, a rock on the lake fill, your body at a soccer game (I think that those happen in the spring), or a canvas at Bottle and Bodega. Whatever it might be, don't be afraid to get creative. On a cheesy note, the world is your canvas, so let spring open your eyes to the beauty in Chicago and get artsy with it (even if it's only on Insta).
3. Travel to neighborhoods in Chicago that you've never been to or have never heard of!
I took the Metro from Millennium Park for the first time and it was kind of creepy initially, but also super cool. You get to ride the train through the Art Institute and there are actually a lot of really neat neighborhoods on that side of town. Don't be afraid to be a little touristy! While you might initially be uncomfortable, once you forget yourself and just enjoy the city, you'll probably experience a city that you never knew existed.
4. Do a donut, pie, pizza, hotdog, or really any "ton of food for no reason other than there are a lot of places that make this specific type of food and it's not even like it's a taste test because after a while the taste becomes negligible" crawl.
Get sick eating too much of one kind of food. Promise to never eat said food again. Repeat a month later.
5. Be childlike.
Please do this. Also, don't just do this now. College isn't the only time to be flirty and free. Go buy some chalk and draw on a sidewalk. Play on a swing set. Have a sleepover with your best friends. Talk to that kid in your class who you think is so cool because of the patch on his backpack. Wear that outfit that just borders on the edge of "Is this too weird for public?" Yes, it is, but everyone deserves to be a little too weird for public in the spring.
Anyway, spring has bitten me like the bright, sparkling, sun-loving anti-vampire that it is. Enjoy the warmth and don't be afraid to cross off things from your own bucket lists, my friends. I'll see you in June!
