While some of us might be substantially closer to graduation than others, it’s never too late to make sure you embark on some of the best things Madison has to offer. Consider this your extremely small-scale UW-Madison bucket list. May the odds be ever in your favor.
- Explore the Historical Society.
While this may sound silly if you’re not a huge history buff, I promise you won’t regret it. Travel up to the second floor and take a left towards the stacks. Once there, take the super sketchy staircase down a level to another set of stacks. There it is: Probably one of the coolest places I’ve ever been. I felt like I was in the movie National Treasure of something. The stacks down there are so vacant that the only noise you’ll hear is the creaking of the floor beneath you. In a totally non-nerdy way, you have to see it.
- Make your way out to the arboretum.
If you ever get a little sick of the hustle and bustle of Madison, the arboretum is where you need to travel to. I once biked there with a friend – do so with caution. Let’s just say we forgot what time it got dark and biked down the completely unlit 2 mile, hilly bike path with flashlights as our only source of light. I hit a pothole and thought I was about to die. Nonetheless, the arboretum’s serenity totally made up for my near-death experience on the way home.
- Have a beer on the terrace in the summer.
If you feel like sipping up on some Spotted Cow in the peak of winter, more power to you. For me, I prefer the summer. Bring some friends out to the terrace, work on some homework, and refresh yourself with an ice cold beer. After all, you go to Wisconsin…you kind of have to.
- Go canoeing on Lake Mendota with some friends.
This one is still on my bucket list and if I don’t do this soon I’ll throw a fit. You can rent a canoe for $8.50 per hour from the University of Wisconsin Outdoor Rentals and have yourself a ball out on the water. Who wouldn’t want to do that?
- Wake your ass up for once and go to the Farmers’ Market.
Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to convince myself to get out of bed early enough on a Saturday to actually hit up the Farmers’ Market, but I’ve heard good things. They happen every Saturday from 6:00am until 12:00pm in Capitol Square. Go splurge on some veggies!
- Jump Around in Camp Randall.
While this may seem silly to put on this miniature bucket list, believe it or not, I’ve met people who’ve never been to a game. Maybe it’s because I pretty much live for football season, but this is absolutely absurd. If you don’t spend one of your Saturdays jumping around in Camp Randall…well, I’m unsure that we can be friends.
- Make it to every single library UW has to offer.
After personally counting the various places the library system lists as “libraries”, there are allegedly 48 different UW libraries. That leaves most of us with around 44 to still venture through. For once, try to resist your urge to hit up Helen C. White – she won’t be offended if you cheat on her – and bring yourself somewhere you’ve never been before.
- Sit on Abe’s lap.
Trudge yourself up Bascom Hill (or take the easy way out with the 80) and plop yourself on Abe Lincoln’s lap. The view is quite incredible. Oh, and you also feel like royalty.
- Return to your former residence hall and raise hell.
You might think to yourself, “that’s so immature” or rather, “why would I ever want to go back there”. I’ll tell you why you should go back. You should go back just because you can tell housefellows to go to hell because you’ll never see them again. You can raise hell during quiet hours without ever getting written up. You can tell all of the freshmen all the “crazy shit” you did there…like sneaking in a keg or something. And most of all, you can relive your freshmen year for like five minutes without having to climb into your unreasonably high, lofted bed.
- Take the 80 past to hospital to Eagle Heights.
I had always wondered where the bus route 80 went after it passed the hospital. So on a random Friday I decided to go on an adventure that I would quickly regret. I feel as if this mistake is something every person should make in their time at Madison. So please, for my entertainment, take the 80 past the hospital by yourself and quietly wait while people judge you for being on the bus for so damn long.