Skydive?
Climb Mount Everest?
Or maybe just create a family.
The guys of The Buried Life are here to help you achieve it. This past Thursday, RSA and Delta Phi Epsilon brought the men of the hit MTV show The Buried Life to campus, and it was quite an event. I went without knowing anything about the reality show or the cast, and was presently surprised to find out it was not just another Hills or Jersey Shore, but a show with actual substance.
All four cast members (Duncan, Ben, Dave and Jonnie) were in college, or “University” as they call it in that grand old country north of us (yes, they’re Canadian), in 2006, when they had the realization that they wanted more out of life. Inspired by a poem called The Buried Life by Matthew Arnold, they made a Bucket List, put it online, and started raising money.
Within weeks of starting their project, word spread. They were quickly able to cross things off their list, such as be a knight for a day, and appearing on the 6 o’clock news. They were shocked by the multiple email responses they got early on, but one in particular stood out to them: one man who had previously been homeless wanted to give back to the shelter he used to stay at by bringing pizza to them.
Duncan, Ben, Dave and Jonnie soon found out that he had created his own business to get off the streets–a business completely dependent on a pickup truck. Unfortunately, his truck had broken, and he was unable to work. By pooling their money, they were able to buy a $1200 pickup truck for $480 after explaining the story to the seller. As Jonnie said, “It’s amazing how people respond when you give them the chance to be a hero.” This was only the beginning.
The men had received TV show offers when they first started the project, but turned them down. Years later, they reassessed the situation. They told MTV that they wanted to be in charge, and MTV gave them complete reign, making the four of them executive producers. The first episode showed them sneaking in, and crashing a party at the Playboy Mansion, and it went on to meeting Taylor Swift and even playing basketball on the White House courts. The thing that stood out the most to me was that they don’t let MTV help them at all in their endeavors, or use MTV’s connections. They wanted the show to be about what four regular guys can accomplish, and that’s exactly what it is.
After their talk, the guys invited audience members to get up and say what was on their Bucket Lists. One audience members asked to go on a date with one of the members of The Buried Life, while another thanked them for changing her life after she almost died in a car accident. The men invited one girl who wanted to sing the National Anthem at a Bruins game, to sing for all of Blackman, and they themselves serenaded another audience member for her birthday.
Then there was the meet and greet, which had a line that went from Frost Lounge all the way into Curry. For hours the men hung out signing autographs, taking pictures and talking to fans. I was able to be in Frost with them this entire time, and I can honestly say that there are not possibly four more genuine guys out there. They were more than happy to speak with people about their deepest desires and things they absolutely needed to do before they died.
In the end, this show, this event, The Buried Life, is about inspiring people to follow their dreams. If you have something you want to do, don’t wait for a day that will never come–get out there and do it. As Jonnie said during the show, “You’ll never be younger than you are today.” So don’t let life pass you by.
As for this writer? Number one on my bucket list is getting a book published. I want to see my name, printed on the cover and sitting in a bookstore. I’m working on it, and I am determined to have it happen before I die.
Check out their website here. And follow The Buried Life, as well as Duncan, Ben, Dave and Jonnie on twitter too!