Its here…finally; senior year of college. The days we all thought seemed so far away have come and its probably one of the most exciting yet nerve-wracking and emotional times of your life. After next May, real life starts. No more McDonald’s runs at 2 in the morning, no more dancing shamelessly at Porto’s every weekend, no more insane sleeping schedules and weird diets, or long nights filled with cramming every last bit of information in your head before a test. Its all coming to an end just as fast as it started, so for the months we have left here’s a collective list with ideas (in no particular order) from our fellow seniors of things that may not be as acceptable in the real world, so you definitely have to do them before graduation comes around.
1. Travel Abroad
I personally have not had the opportunity to do this yet, but I’ve heard from friends that it is absolutely one of the best experiences you can have in college. So if you get the chance then GO!! (I sure would)
2. Go to at least one more football game before the season ends
Some of y’all may be die hard fans and go to every game, but even if you’re not, you have to go to at least one. There’s nothing like sweating to death in that student section with hundreds of screaming people who are too drunk to function.
3. Oktoberfest at Sugar Mountain
A two-day event where its socially acceptable to be drunk all day long, for all you beer drinkers out there.
4. Visit The Land of Oz at Beech Mountain
This closes in October, so jump on this one ASAP! This place is super cute and gives personal tours, so it should definitely be one you check off this list.
5. Join a new club
Senior year is already busy enough, so if you do decide to join a club, make it one that’s more of a hobby instead of for educational purposes. App has over 300 to choose from, so odds are there’s one out there that interests you, whether its a club sport, a cappella group, or the Anime club.
6. Go to The Local every Thursday
Okay maybe not every Thursday, because 8 am Friday classes are the actual worst, but definitely make this a frequent thing if you can. Thursdays at the Local are ‘Throwback Days’, so that means $5 drinks and all the best songs from our middle school days.
7. Go jump off Compression Falls
Compression Falls is only about 45 minutes from Boone, and its honestly something to do just so you can say you have jumped off of a waterfall before.
8. Go to the Farmer’s Market
Every Saturday morning from May to November tons of local vendors go to sell their products, like fresh fruits and vegetables, handmade items, and lots of flowers!
9. Take a random PE class
This is similar to joining a new club, but if you ever look through the PE classes offered at App, you’ll see that there’s a ton of really cool ones. You could wake up and go play softball every morning at 9 am like I did, learn Kung Fu, or learn how to go scuba diving! Literally anything to get rid of that freshman 15 that never really went away.
10. Steal a tray from Central and go sledding
Okay so this is actually one I might do this winter because for some reason I haven’t yet. It would be super easy to take one of the trays and if you don’t go sledding down that hill beside Eggers did you even really go to App??
11. Go to the bar in sweats
Because, college. Where everyday is “one of those days.”
12. Go back to your first dorm
The softie in me loves this idea. Go back to your very first dorm room from freshman year, knock on the door and just be friends with whoever lives there now. Share all your knowledge and wisdom about life with them.
13. Sing your heart out on karaoke night at a bar
Part of me has always secretly wanted to do this but I’ve always been too scared. What better time to do it than right before you graduate and when no one will remember it the next day anyway?
14. Go to the wrong class on purpose
We all know the horror of walking in on a class that isn’t ours, but this time do it intentionally. Find a random classroom and just sit discreetly in the back and listen for fun.
15. Take advantage of those student discounts
Worst part about graduating college: no more discount at Chipotle. Do a search of all the places that offer them and only eat and shop there for the next 7 months, because after college the real world doesn’t care how broke you are.
16. Spend Spring Break going on a road trip with your best friends
This is super cheesy I know, but its something I’ve always wanted to do and still haven’t gotten the chance to. Just pick a random place on the map and go there with as little planning as possible. Apparently real grown ups don’t get a spring break?? So I guess this year is the time to do it.
17. Binge-watch as many TV shows on Netflix in one week as humanly possible
As if we haven’t been doing this for the last three years already? But seriously, nothing makes that senioritis kick in like going home and doing nothing but catching up on some Greys.
18. Pet every dog you see on campus
Every. Single. One. There’s lots.
19. Take lots of pictures
Depending on what you do with your life, this might be the last time you ever see Boone and our cute little campus. So take tons of pictures around campus and our town because it will never look the same after you leave.
20. Catch one last sunset on the Parkway and take that famous Rough Ridge picture
This makes me emotional. I’ve grown to love our mountains with my whole heart and the thought of not living ten minutes from those priceless views is awful, so take advantage of that while you still can. We all took that basic picture as a freshman (you know exactly which one I’m talking about), so you might as well take one as a senior to close this chapter of your life.
21. FINALLY GRADUATE
We’ve only got one year left to have the time of our lives… don’t waste it!!