As a 2026 grad, I am both nervous and excited for what the future holds, and I would bet that my fellow graduates can relate. Before our official adult lives start, we have one more glorious month of being an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan, and there is so much to do. Between photoshoots, campus events, and staying on top of schoolwork, it’s going to be a busy month. Because it’s going to be busy, I want to ensure I’m being intentional about making the most of my last few weeks of college (cue the tears!). If you also want to make the most of your time at Umich before graduation, this article is for you. Here are three activities you can do in order to have a great last month of college:Â
Create A Graduation Bucket lIst
The perfect way to make sure you get to do all of the fun college-related or Ann Arbor activities before you graduate is by making a graduation bucket list! This can be as simple as creating a checklist in Google Docs and sharing it with your friends. If you want to get fancy, try making it in Notion to give it that mood board feel.
My bucket list is separated into categories like activities, restaurants, and coffee shops. That way, next time I’m looking for a fun activity to do or a coffee shop to visit, I can just reference the list! This is a quick and easy way to make sure you’re checking off the things that are most important to you.
If you’re looking for some inspiration, feel free to steal my list:
Ann Arbor Activities
- Kerrytown Farmer’s Market (Saturdays, 8am-3pm)
- Kerrytown Artisan Market (Sundays, 11am-4pm starting April 12)
- Matthaei Botanical Gardens
- Cat Cafe
- Kiwanis Thrift Store
- Literati Bookstore
- The Arb
- Kerrytown Market Stores
- See a concert at The Blind Pig
- Trivia at Northstar Lounge
- See a movie at The State Theater
- Go to a Umix event
- Take pictures at The Big House
- Walk past my freshman dorm
- Write a letter to my future self
Restaurants
- Union Rec
- Jerusalem Garden
- Totoro
- Frida Batidos
- Tomukun
- Zingerman’s Deli
- Slurping Turtle
- Side Biscuit
- Fleetwood Diner
- No ThaiÂ
Coffee Shops
- Sml Wrld Cafe
- The Boro Cafe
- Drip House
- Argus Farm Stop (they have soft serve!)
- Poindexter Coffee
- Vertex Coffee Roasters
- Misfit Society Coffee Club
- Hazel Coffee Co. (for their new spring flavors)
- Lab Cafe
Find your perfect Graduation look
Finding the perfect outfit for graduation is no small task, and it’s important to start early so you have the time to find the right fit for you. Many people will be wearing white dresses, but, remember, that isn’t a rule! Your graduation outfit should be something you love. Personally, I will be wearing a blue dress because, not only is it my favorite color, it also represents my school (go blue!!). If you are looking for some shopping recommendations, here are some of my favorites:
- Baltic Born (this is where I ordered my dress!)
- Altar’d State (in the Briarwood Mall)
- Dry Goods (in the Briarwood Mall)
- Lulus (order online)
- Zara (order online)
- Macy’s (in the Briarwood Mall)
- H & M (order online)
- Amazon (there really are some good dresses out there on Amazon!)
Make A graduation playlist
Music has a way of bringing back memories, even long after a period of our lives has ended. In the same way that Brat by Charli xcx feels like the summer of 2024, whatever music you’re listening to now will bring you back to this season of your life when you hear it in the future. How do you want to remember your graduation? My playlist is a mix of upbeat, fun music with springtime vibes and songs that make me feel like I’m in a movie. Feel free to add my favorites to your playlist:
- Carla’s Song by Harry Styles
- Lush Life by Zara Larsson
- Hello by Martin Solveig, feat. Dragonette
- My Moon My Man by Feist
- Ready to Go by Republica
- Downtown by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
- Buzz Me In by Remi Wolf
- In One Ear by Cage The Elephant
- Aftertaste by Katie Gavin
- Moment In The Sun by Sunflower Bean
- Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield
- Perfect Day by Hoku
- Mr. Brightside by The Killers (obviously)
I hope this checklist has made this graduation season feel a little bit less overwhelming and has provided some ideas for making the most of your last month. Congrats class of 2026! In the words of Elle Woods, “We did it!”