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5 Bucket List Items For After Graduation

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at OSU chapter.

As graduation approaches, I’ve been making a list of things I’d like to accomplish before starting my full-time career. Most of these bucket list items come from my childhood, but now I have the perfect opportunity to complete them after I get my degree.

1. Skydiving

I’m normally not a risk-taker, so skydiving would definitely be a weird bucket list item if you knew me. I believe deep down that when I sky dive I’ll be terrified, but I feel (and hope) there will be a sense of freedom once I jump off the plane. I’ve been wanting to skydive for around two years now, so I hope I’m still brave enough to do it by next summer.

2. See The Northern Lights

One of my biggest dreams is to experience the Northern Lights, even if that means flying to Iceland or Norway — I just want to see them. I did get the opportunity to see the lights in Ohio a couple weeks ago, but I would love to fully immerse myself in the moment. At home, my family uses an Oculus VR set, and I saw a time-lapse video of the Northern Lights. I put the video on thinking I’d only watch it for a few minutes, but I ended up watching it for almost an hour. I could say this moment sparked my interest in seeing the Northern Lights, but in reality, it was the scene from “Polar Express.”

3. Find a JOb I Enjoy

You may be wondering why this is not the first item on my list after I graduate, but I believe finding a job I enjoy right off the bat will the best for me. Some people have told me that it’s okay to go with any job and then switch after a year or two, but I would love to find the right fit straight away. Jobs I believe I would enjoy are content writing or anything in public relations or global communication. My ideal job would be a hybrid setting, working with a team for a small sustainable business.

4. Rescue A CAt

I have already adopted my first cat, but I would also love to rescue one. My aunt has rescued many dogs in her lifetime, and I would like to be just like her. If I’m unable to find a cat to rescue, I plan on fostering animals in need instead.

The cat distribution system is a common phenonmenon where cats tend to show up in peoples lives when they are ready. For example, a person may find an abandoned, sick cat when they least expect it and become responsible for it.

I want this to happen to me.

5. Travel the 50 States

Ever since I was a little girl, my dream has been to travel to each state in the U.S. When I was younger, my parents surprised me and my siblings with a trip through the states, mainly in the West Coast. This trip started my tradition of collecting keychains from each state, and I strive to get keychains from all 50 states. So far, I’ve collected over 30! I just recently got one from California, and right after I graduate, I’ll be getting two new ones from Washington and Alaska.

These are just a few of the items I’d love to cross off my bucket list after I graduate. I have a strong feeling that I can accomplish each of my goals, but we will have to see. If anything, I hope I can find a career I enjoy — that is my main priority.

Cierra is a 3rd year Strategic Communications major with a minor in Design Thinking and a certificate in Science and Environmental Communication. She is graduating in May 2025. After college, she hopes to work in international communications because one of her dreams is to travel as much as possible while doing the job she loves.