This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Illinois State chapter.
When we got to ISU 4 years ago, I don’t think any of us thought about how much this experience was going to change us and make us grow. For me personally, I am obsessed with ISU and I can’t imagine this part of my life being over. Like they say with any grief, the first stage is denial and I am most certainly in that stage. I think it was the littlest things that really made the biggest impact on me and because of that, I have made a bucket list on things I think everyone needs to do before walking across that stage in May.
- Go back to your old dorm. All the nights laughing, crying and stumbling home with your roommates and first friends at school, this is the place were it all started. This was the place where you crammed as much into one space as you could and couldn’t wait to move out of, but this was also the place that you met your partners in crime for the next 4 years.
- Eat at the dining center. For most of us, eating at the dining center ended as soon as we moved out of the dorms. Go back and sit at a table with the people you used to eat with. Reminisce on all the times that you would spend hours in there trying to figure out the name of the cute guy/girl.
- Walk through the quad. I know that this may seem a bit redundant as it hasn’t changed all that much but whens the last time you were there and not in a hurry for class? As seniors, we are in a routine and most of us only have class in one or two building anymore that we don’t get to experience the quad. Walk through it and think about all good times you had there.
- Get lunch with an old friend. We all have those friends that we have just lost touch with over the 4 years and after graduation you are likely going to grow even more apart. Grab lunch or coffee with them and just catch up because the convenience of being less than 5 minutes apart is almost over.
- Stay out all night. Be stupid and crazy (maybe ride the bull at Six Strings) with your friends because the long nights and no responsibility mornings are coming to an end.
- Thank the teacher that had the biggest impact on you. Those teachers that inspired you and made you think differently, you may not have noticed it then but those teachers shaped you and your future.
- Take pictures and a lot of them. They say that these are the best 4 years of your life and I believe it, so remember them with pictures. Oh, and even if you didn’t fall in love at ISU you can still take pictures on the bench with your friends.
- Thank the people that helped you get to this point. Your friends, teachers, advisors, RA’s, tutors, bosses and your PARENTS. Without their constant support who knows where we would be.
- Iron your gown. Make your Grandma proud and do not wear a wrinkled gown on graduation day.
- Lastly, eat all of the amazing food that only BloNo can offer. Get a calzone at DP Dough, Cheeseballs at the Pub and a family pleaser from Monicals.