As my junior year comes to an end, I still feel like there are so many traditional college experiences that I want to partake in. While I have already completed a handful of University of Connecticut traditions, like playing in OOzeball, raising money for HuskyTHON, and attending UCONNIC, there are so many other things I want to do before graduating next year. So, here is a list of the top seven things I want to do during my senior year at UConn.
Watch a sunrise/sunset at Horsebarn Hill
While I’ve already had the opportunity of seeing some amazing natural views at Horsebarn Hill, like the cows and the Northern Lights, I’ve never actually gone specifically to watch the sunrise or sunset. Since coming to UConn from Boston, I’ve found myself falling more in love with nature. I’m constantly stopping to look at the stars or spending time outside. I can only imagine what watching the sunrise at Horsebarn Hill, a large hill with a view of the entire campus, would look like. At the same time, I’m not usually a morning person, so I’m also going to give myself the opportunity to watch the sunset from this gorgeous spot. Ideally, I would love to convince my friends to come too, making it a huge group outing, and I think it will be easier to convince them to come see the sunset versus the sunrise. Either way, my goal is to see at least one (or both) from Horsebarn Hill next year.
Swim in the Rec Pool
During my sophomore year, when I really started to take advantage of the UConn Rec, the swimming pool was closed for construction. While the pool is open now, I haven’t had the opportunity to go swimming (despite bringing my bathing suit from home). I love swimming. Not only is it a great form of exercise, but it makes me feel connected with my inner child. This semester has been so hectic that I haven’t found the perfect time to go swimming. I keep tossing the idea out to my friends, saying that we should go play mermaids, but none of them are as thrilled as I am. While I really want my friends to go too, the urge to swim is greater than the embarrassment of going by myself. So, next year, I’m making a commitment to go swimming at the Rec.
Visit the UConn Thrift Den
I’ve never gotten into thrifting, but it is something that I really want to try. Coming from Boston, I’m always overwhelmed by the idea of heading to large thrift stores in the city, but I think that the UConn Thrift Den could be a great place to step into the world of thrifting. There are so many pros about having a thrift “store” on campus. Firstly, the entire place is free, so I can begin my thrifting experience without having to pay for anything. Secondly, the Thrift Den is located in one of the buildings on campus, so it is super convenient to get to, unlike some of the stores back home. Lastly, they have such cute stuff! While I have never been to the Thrift Den, I follow them on Instagram, and they are always showing off such cute items that I think I would totally rock. My biggest fear with the Thrift Den is that I’ll find so many items and want to take them all, despite the one item per person limit. On the bright side, however, finding multiple items of interest will give me a reason to go back again.
Donate Blood with the Red Cross
This one is more of a personal goal and less of a college-girl goal. Since I was 16 years old, it has been my dream to donate blood to the Red Cross. I remember my church was hosting a blood drive at one point, but I was still too young to participate, according to the coordinator. This year, I attempted to donate to the Red Cross, but things didn’t work out. However, I’m not discouraged; if anything, the rejection has fueled my desire to donate even more. UConn is always hosting blood drives with the Red Cross, so I’m hoping that I will be able to find one that works in my schedule next year.
Have a movie marathon with my friends
This could go in so many directions, but all of them lead to us watching an iconic movie series in one weekend (I was going to say 24 hours, but that feels overly ambitious, knowing us and our schedules). Not to call anyone out, but my friend Sofia recently shared that she has never seen the Harry Potter movies, which I think is ridiculous. So, I feel like we need to watch those movies together. I also think it could be fun, and maybe a little sad, to watch all the Disney Channel shows or movies that have to do with graduation before our own. There would probably be a lot of tears involved, but I think it would be worth it. As a failsafe, we can always fall back on the Hunger Games series, since we all love the franchise. Regardless, we will be having a movie marathon one weekend.
Attend Karaoke Night at Ted’s Bar
Ted’s Bar is the campus bar that everyone goes to on the weekends or during their weekly special nights. Every Wednesday, they host karaoke, and while I haven’t gone yet, it is my goal to go at some point. I’ve never been to karaoke, but I do have a handful of songs lined up for my Ted’s debut next year. If my friend Emily comes with me, I think we could sing “Golden” from the K-Pop Demon Hunters movie as a duet. We both love the movie and already sing the song together, so why not perform it in front of a crowd? If I had to perform solo, I’m not sure what song I would sing. My original thought was “Whiskey” by Jana Kramer, because I love to sing that song in my car. But I honestly have no idea, and I don’t want to commit to anything before seeing what karaoke night at Ted’s is like.
Go to a UConn Men’s Basketball Game
Going to UConn, I feel like it’s impossible not to be a basketball fan. In my time at UConn, I have attended most of the women’s games on campus. Even though I’m more of a women’s basketball fan, I really want to commit to attending at least one of the men’s games next season. The other reason why I usually avoid going to the men’s games is that the tickets always sell out so fast. However, I am willing to fight the ticket war to experience a men’s game during my senior year. Ideally, I would love to go to the senior night celebration, but I think it will be even harder than normal to secure tickets, so I am going to lower my standards to just a regular season game.
I’m sure that I will do more than these seven things on this list during my senior year, but I’m committing to completing at least these. This list is a good combination of things that are significant to UConn and personal goals. While a handful of them would be fun to do with friends, I could do everything on my own. Regardless, I hope that completing these seven things will make my senior year more memorable.