Spring bucket list or bingo card

In this Issue:

• Today we are going to talk about some of the things your students might wish to do between now and the end of the semester, via form of a bucket list and/or a bingo card

Now that we are past the halfway point of the semester, it is probably starting to dawn on our students – particularly our seniors – that there are only a handful of weeks left in this academic year. Sometimes seeing the finish line coming quickly, students begin to think about trying to make the most of their remaining time on campus. I like to look at this in two ways: a suggested end-of-semester bucket list and a bingo card.

End-of-Semester bucket list

For those who are fans of more long-form exploration of things to do, here is my suggested bucket list:

• Meet new people – One of my biggest regrets about my student days was that tended to stay in my bubble of established friends and I did not make an effort to get to know more people. So my first bucket list recommendation for your Deacs is to reach out to people you don’t know (whether that is folks in class, a student in an organization you both belong to, etc.) and invite them to coffee, a meal, a walk, or to study-together. Try to meet 5-10 new people between now and the end of the semester. You never know what friendships might form.
• Walk the Grounds – walk from campus to Reynolda Village. Stroll through the formal gardens and look at all of the beautiful flowers, or take a book and a blanket and study in the big field in front of Reynolda House. Related to this…
• Eat Well – if you are in Reynolda Village, I can’t stress enough how awesome May Way Dumplings is. Sit outdoors at Village Tavern and try some of their homemade chips, or get some crepes at Penny Path, or a Dough Joe’s donut. (Note: I am not sponsored by any of these places. I just love their food).
• Take Pictures – whether you are graduating or just going home for the summer, you are going to want pictures to remind you of Wake and your friends. That beautiful blooming tree you like every time you walk by it? Take a picture. That group of friends you love? Take a picture. The way the full moon lights up the Quad? You got it – take a picture.
• Go to All the Things – there will be activities and events, lectures and volunteer opportunities, movies and trivia, concerts and Campus Garden-ing and more from now until May. Try something from every column: arts, music, service, academics, outdoors, etc. And take a friend with you – sometimes it is easier to go to something when you have a buddy.
• Deepen a Relationship – ask a faculty member, administrator, adviser, or other staff member to meet with you for something beyond just talking about a class or a procedure/process you need to take care of. Get to know them more as a person, and share more about yourself. Have a conversation that is more in depth than you might normally. Having an adult on campus who can be a sounding board, thinking partner, or mentor is critical, but you have to do the work to build or deepen that relationship.
• Do Something Frivolous – it’s easy to get caught up in classes, homework, demands on your time – and those are all important. But do something fun for you, too. Whether that is buying yourself some flowers, walking barefoot in the grass or running in the rain, swinging on the swings, eating ice cream for dinner, or whatever tickles your fancy, do something that brings out your inner child.

Your Deacs may have other things on their Bucket List. The important thing is to get started on it!

Bingo Card

While some of us are people who like to check things off a list, others may like to see a whole matrix of possibilities. So here are some other suggestions, Bingo Card style, of smaller things your Deacs can do between now and semester’s end. Many of these are more of a micro-version of a task, not an enormous undertaking. How many might your Deacs collect between now and May? Click to enlarge.