College is truly an experience unlike anything else. The challenges you will face; the memories you will make in four short years that you will never forget. Sure, there are ups and downs of pursing a higher education. (Students loans, I’m talking to you!) But the friends you make and the connections created with a professor or another student are something you will carry with you for a long time.
As I am graduating this year, and saying goodbye to my wonderful college town, I figured I should make a graduation bucket list of sorts. Will I be back? Maybe. But I have to make what little time I have left as a student count.
photo via @taylormackenzieh
Hit up all of your favorite coffee shops one last time: If you’re like me, you’ve checked out all of the trendiest places in town, and some of them may have captured your heart (and your Instagram) more than others. Make sure to visit your beloved spots and say goodbye to your favorite barista who always managed to give you the best latte art and extra stamp on your punch card. Sit back with your coffee and take in the view. Notice all of the corners of the shop and people watch for a while, instead of studying or scrolling through your phone. Take in the points that made you love the place so much in the first place. Promise that you will come back someday.
Photo via @livgraul
Go to brunch with your gal pals you might not see again for a while:Â After graduation, you and your girl gang will most likely physically disband, heading to different cities to start your lives in the “real world.” Gather up all of your lady friends and clink your glasses of orange juice to a toast to the future over waffles and eggs benedict. Could you imagine a more perfect morning? Make sure to dress in your Sunday best and bring your polaroid camera for all of the pictures you are bound to take.
Photo via @jaamierose
Visit a spot on campus you’ve never been before: The other day I had my last in-person class on campus. As I walked out the doors, I decided to take a different route to the bus stop. My campus is pretty big, and I ended up stumbling upon a part of campus I had never walked before. It was nice to discover another section of my beautiful campus and take in my last few moments as a student before the countdown to graduation truly began. I recommend getting lost on your campus. See who or what you might bump into. But also wear sneakers in case you get turned around, I sure wish I had on more comfortable kicks when I did! 
Photo via @mixed.hues
Find the perfect dress for graduation and decorate your cap, too:Â Of course any Fashionista knows that the best part of gradation is picking out your dress. I chose to go with a traditional white dress, that has pretty scalloped lace and cap sleeves. I can’t wait to show it off! Now I just can’t make up my mind what shoes to wear… Don’t forget to decorate your cap too! The top of your graduation cap is one last way to express your creativity and individuality. Let the world know where you’re headed. Mine features a Harry Potter quote, of course, as I head off to get my MFA in Creative Writing. Check out Pinterest for ideas and find a quote that relates to your future.
Photo via @shannamerceron
Check out a place in your college town you always wanted to go to, but never did: Whether you’re moving to another state or sticking around for a few more years, there is nothing like being a college student in a college town. Gather up your friends for a girl’s night out and only go places you’ve never been, or maybe get up early and watch the sunrise in that nature preserve you always said you would visit. Have a fancy dinner at the top-rated restaurant on Yelp. Check out that trendy thrift store. There is still time!
Photo via @ameliachristineburns
Take a lot of pictures, because your kids may not believe everything you tell them someday:Â Sometimes my friends beg me, “Oh, please, no more pictures!” But I have no shame shoving my camera in people’s faces. A few years down the line you may wish you had taken a picture with your theatre class and favorite professor. You may look through your photos are realize that you never captured one of your great adventures on film. Sure, you should always take in the moment through your eyes, not a lens, but it never hurts to take a minute to snap a shot that you will carry with you for a lifetime. After all, you only go to college once.
photo via @beierlejohanna
What is on your graduation bucket list? Let us know in the comments below!
