We’ve all seen the infamous list. It’s rather long with some slightly ridiculous items on the checklist (#1 anyone?), but here are a few activities that you should definitely check off before leaving Cornell for the real world.
#3 – Camp out overnight (re: sleep on Astroturf) for hockey tickets
So it’s not quite the old-fashioned line as the upperclassmen remember it but it’s still fun. You get to hang out with friends in Lynah while watching the Cornell Men’s Hockey Team show off their skills. And who knows, maybe the old line will come back next year! Rachel ’13 says of her experience on the line, “It was a fun, arduous experience but I can’t imagine what the pre-swine flu line was like.” Regardless, getting season tickets is an experience and going to a hockey game at Lynah is something everyone should do at least once.
#14- Listen to a full chimes concert from the clock tower and guess the songs played
It’s quite a hike up the 161 steps of McGraw Tower but it’s worth it. The chimes are a great backdrop to the amazing view from the top of the tower. In the winter, you can see the Arts Quad covered in snow; in spring and the summer, the view offers more colorful scenery.
#17- Go to the Fuertes Observatory on north Campus and gaze at meteor showers
Fuertes is one of the more overlooked spots on North Campus. It is a beautiful domed building right next to Appel Commons and Helen Newman. Public viewing nights are every clear Friday starting at 9pm. And if you’re feeling romantic, both Fuertes and the Clocktower are perfect spots for a date – without leaving campus!
#106 – See a concert at Barton Hall
Do it! I’ve seen Maroon 5 and Phoenix at Barton and the atmosphere just makes it worth the pain of the girl in front of you stepping all over your feet with her heels (ouch!). Here’s a quick piece of advice, don’t leave after the concert is over. Head to the back of Barton and you can get a peek at the band loading up their tour bus. You can even meet them. That’s how I got Adam Levine’s autograph.
#112 – Be a model in the Cornell Design League’s annual fashion show
Now called the Cornell Fashion Collective, these people are seriously dedicated to fashion. Katelyn ’13, a member of CFC, says, “The models are extremely important because we really try to put on a great, professional show. Without the models, which are in fact just everyday Cornell students and friends, we wouldn’t be able to showcase our designs the way they are meant to be worn. We love our models!” The CFC hosts a model call every fall to find models so go and show off that runway strut that you’ve been practicing since you started watching America’s Next Top Model.
#157 – Take part in Holi and get colorful
It’s one of the most fun ways to get messy. While Holi, the Festival of Colors, is celebrated in March, Cornell observes Holi later. So look out for the Facebook invites and the posters around campus. It’s worth the hour-long shower it’ll take afterwards to get rid of all the powder. According to Anna ’12, Holi last year was “off the hook, amazing! I loved it.”
Sources
Anna ‘12
Katelyn ‘13
Rachel ‘13
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