College students, it’s time to make a bucket list

Kernel+Opinions+Sig

Kernel Opinions Sig

Kayla Woodson

A bucket list is a great thing to have. I have 36 out of 50 written down in my “50 things to do before I graduate list.” Of course, though, there is no right or wrong answer to how you want to spend your time in college, and at the end of the day it’s totally up to you.

Although I originally made my list as a way to procrastinate during finals last fall semester, so admittedly, I may not have had the right intentions when I made mine. I have one nevertheless and that’s important.

My bucket list includes goofy things like “Pull an all nighter” and “Get a front page on the Kernel.” So far I’ve only managed to check off two items on my list, but I’m confident I’ll start making a dent in it soon.

I think I made a bucket list because I am a very forgetful person, so I just wanted to be able to keep track of fun things or ideas for the future. I mean, how am I going to remember to “create a mixtape” while trying to stay on top of all the papers and readings I have to do?

I think that a good argument for not having a college bucket list is that it forces things that should come organically. Bucket lists can feel like you’re forcing fun or falsely creating a sense of spontaneity.

Some of the best memories I have are those that came from unexpected outcomes. College has a way of creating a great experience for those that don’t outright seek or declare that they want one.

Some of the best times you’ll have in college will come from the 2 a.m. trip to Insomnia Cookies and the impromptu stop at a coffee shop where you’ll burn your tongue. They’ll come the times you have to walk to Kroger Field on muggy and hot August days because you missed the last LexTran.

These are hardly things you can plan for. Walking to Willy T. on a Saturday night, only to get there as it’s closing isn’t something that you can exactly tick off you bucket list.

There’s so much you have to do, so much you should experience during your time in college, and whether that comes in the form of a bucket list or a series of unexpected adventures, or both, there’s no doubt it won’t be fun.