Atten-tion all juniors and anyone else planning to graduate next year: This is your last chance to live it up as a college student.
Yeah, I'm sure you're aware of that. But take it from me - that last year will probably go by faster than any other year you spend in college.
There are a lot of things everyone should do before graduating -- and I'm not talking about hiking Mount Nittany or visiting the Lion Shrine.
Unfortunately, I have only just begun to realize many of these things now that I only have a couple of weeks left here, and it just isn't enough time (procrastination strikes yet again).
So my parting gift to all of you soon-to-be seniors is a list of things you must do during your last year at Penn State:
1. Schedule no classes on Fridays. It's probably the last time you will have three-day weekends for a while.
2. Hit up all of State College's many watering holes. If you aren't 21 already, you probably will be soon. It's rare to find this many good (and diverse) bars all within walking distance of one another.
3. Blow off as much responsibility as you can -- while you still can. Pretty soon you (most of you, at least) will have a full-time job.
You won't be able to ditch meetings and other obligations for "afternoon tea" at Café 210 on the first beautiful day of spring. So do it now.
4. Spend a day (or night, if you're feeling particularly daring) in Altoona. It's not the most exciting place, but it offers a change of scenery and it's only a 40-minute drive away. Plus, it has a shopping mall with more than one floor.
5. Explore outdoorsy options off campus. If you are from an urban area, like I am, this might be the last time you're surrounded by so much ... well, nothingness. Centre County has tons of parks, paths, nature preserves, etc. Have a picnic or a barbecue, go rock-climbing or skiing, or just take a hike.
6. Hook up in a random spot on campus. Besides the inherent pleasure in that experience, think of how cool it would be to come back 10 or 20 years later and be able to say, "Yeah, I once did it in the stacks/elevator of my dorm/bleachers of Beaver Stadium." Ideally, you would do this without getting caught, but even if you are not so lucky, I bet it will still be worth it.
7. Attend a formal or cocktail party. Whether it's for a club or organization that you belong to, or whether you are a date at someone else's party, it is a lot of fun to get dressed up and dance (which, for some people, means it might help to also get drunk). It's kind of like the prom, but less expensive and minus the chaperones.
8. Revisit old memories from freshman year. Visit your old dorm, eat in the dining commons, hang out with your first college roommate and even (if you can stomach it) go to a frat party. You'll be amazed at how recently it seems you left those things behind. How's that for nostalgia?
9. Go on a road trip with a few good friends. Even if you love Happy Valley, it can get pretty boring every now and then.
Visit another school or a city, go to an away football game, or drive somewhere warm for spring break.
Do it when the weather is decent because driving in the rain or on icy roads is a pain, not to mention dangerous. Don't forget lots of good music -- and some road maps.
10. Wake up early at least one Saturday morning to tailgate before a football game. And I mean early, as in earlier than you probably ever get up for class.
You can't consider yourself a true Penn Stater until you've spent a few hours before a game drinking beer, grilling burgers and tossing around a football with some friends and a few thousand friendly strangers.
I'm still working on Nos. 2, 5 and 8, and I have only a couple of weeks left. So my advice to you is to make a "To do at PSU" list at the beginning of next year and then get to it. Trust me, you don't want to graduate with regrets that you missed out on parts of your college experience.
To use a metaphor that is in keeping with the spirit of State College: Think of me as the bartender.
This is last call!
