As a senior in my last quarter at UCLA, there are a few things I am looking forward to doing to round out my four-year experience. From senior grad photos to finally being back on campus to class, here are 8 things I know I’ll be doing this quarter before I “kick the bucket” and graduate:
- Grad Photos
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Photo by Alyssa Chew We have a beautiful campus, so I’m excited to take advantage of my last quarter as an undergraduate and take some grad photos on campus. From the traditional photos at Royce and the Bruin Bear to photos around south campus, I’m excited to get professional photos taken (or just take my sash and tripod back to campus again for round 2 of my own photoshoot).
- DineLA
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Part of the joy of living in LA is the wide array of food and restaurants available. I am super excited to partake in DineLA from April 1 to 15 again this year for two weeks of new foods with new and old friends. I’ve discovered some of my favorite restaurants from this program and there are even a few restaurants in Westwood that participate every year!
- Malibu Wine Safari / Wine Hike
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Original photo by Alyssa Chew With Malibu so close to UCLA, I am eager to visit again before the quarter ends. From picturesque food to gorgeous beaches, I will definitely be back before I graduate. Malibu also hosts a wine safari where you and four friends can take a VW bus around the vineyard while tasting wines. For a cheaper price and a more active lifestyle, you can also go on a wine hike! I’m not sure yet which one I’ll be doing, but I’m excited to visit and get in another photo op.
- Kayaking in Marina Del Rey
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Kayla Bacon / Her Campus The Marina Aquatic Center offers two hours of free kayaking for UCLA undergraduates. Since it’s spring quarter and the weather is warming up, I am definitely going to hit the beach a couple of times and kayaking seems like a great way to sit out on the water and enjoy the peace and quiet. While in Marina Del Rey, I’ll probably also go to KIller Shrimp or another restaurant on the pier.
- LA Wine Fest / LA Beer Fest
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Photo by Alyssa Chew The LA Wine Fest comes to Long Beach twice a year, bringing a variety of wine and making me feel like an adult. The 14th annual LA Beer Fest was on April 2. Both festivals feature dozens of different drink vendors, food trucks and live music.
- Beach Cycling Class
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Only in LA can you take a cycling class on the beach. SoulCycle exists all over the country, but in LA, you can watch the sunset over the horizon as you exercise and get some fresh air while taking a class. I prefer more structure when I’m cycling but love the fresh air, so a class on the beach sounds perfect.
- Universal Studios Visit
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Jocelyn Hsu / Spoon UCLA is only a short drive from Universal Studios Hollywood. This quarter, I plan on visiting the amusement park a couple of times and picking up some donuts from CityWalk as well. Part of the fun of my last quarter is the lighter course load, so I’m definitely looking forward to taking advantage of that and visiting the park before the summer crowds roll in.
- Geffen Playhouse
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Finally, after four years of living in Westwood, I still haven’t visited the Geffen Playhouse. The Geffen Playhouse hosts shows rotating through a little less than once a month. College Nights allow students to get $15 tickets, so I definitely want to take advantage of that discount before I graduate.
This spring, I’ll be using the last quarter of my undergraduate career to take advantage of student discounts, explore LA just a little bit more and hopefully check off the last of the UCLA traditions. Whether you’re hoping to explore LA or travel outside LA (in which case, I’d also recommend visiting the flower fields in Carlsbad or Solvang near Santa Barbara), hopefully, you take advantage of all UCLA has to offer and soak up a little more LA sunshine now that in-person activities have resumed!