We asked seniors what’s the last thing they need to do before graduating

Being part of so many traditions is an integral part of what makes us Penn Staters, and being a Penn Stater is a beautiful tradition in itself. The traditions that I have been part of here also happen to be many of the reasons why it is going to be so difficult to leave this place in a few weeks – whether it is feeling the joy and passion that fills the Bryce Jordan Center THON Weekend, jumping up and down to Zombie Nation in Beaver Stadium with 107,000+ fans, or simply walking down College Avenue and seeing every other student wearing blue and white. I’ve never been to another place where the people are so proud to be part of a community together. Traditions. Not just in the way we are (no pun intended), but also in what we do. Guarding the Lion Shrine. S-Zone. Tailgating. The Homecoming Parade. Nittanyville. THON. During my time here, I’ve strived to learn about as many of them as possible.

With graduation only a few weeks away, there is a ton of pressure to make every last moment at Dear Old State count. “We only have __ more days/nights to ____” has become the number one guilt trip, and nine times out of ten, it works. It feels like there is an infinite number of places to go, things to do, and people to meet. Time is running out, and realistically, we can’t do it all. And that’s okay.

What we can do, is do the things that we haven’t done yet that mean the most to us – those bucket list items – and do them well, do them right, and actually enjoy them, rather than being so stressed out about checking off every single bar/restaurant/place to take a selfie on campus.

After talking to Penn State seniors to hear what they were most excited to do in the final weeks, I compiled a list of some of the major traditions they had yet to check off as well as some more outside-the-box fun that you wouldn’t necessarily find on a freshman year poster or t-shirt. Check out what they had to share:

• Get Grilled Stickies at the Diner. They’re even better à la mode. 
• Go to all three State College Waffle Shops in one day (downtown, North Atherton and West College). Roll yourself home.

• Buy an ice cream cone as big as your face from the Creamery and eat it at the Arboretum or Old Main lawn on a nice day. Walk around campus and appreciate the little things. 
• Drive to Meyer Dairy on South Atherton Street for the best milkshakes.

• Participate in the Mifflin Streak… no further comment necessary. 
• Jump in the Arboretum fountain fully clothed, or even in your cap and gown. Just make sure it’s not snowing in April when you decide to do it.

• Ride the White Loop all the way around on a weekend and start some rousing renditions of your favorite stadium songs. Good times never seemed so good. 
• Catch a ride with Vamos! Todd in the Lion Chariot and feel like Penn State royalty.

• Take a picture in your cap and gown at the Lion Shrine. *sob* Order Wings Over to the line while you wait for two hours.
• Take silly photos in your cap and gown at your favorite places, whether it be the study spot you spent endless all-nighters at, the bar you closed out with your friends, or the High School Musical stairs in the HUB, Troy Bolton style. We’re all in this together.

• Revisit your freshman year dorm building and eat at your favorite dining commons for old time’s sake. RIP meal points. 
• Unexpectedly show up and introduce yourselves to the current residents of your freshman dorm. Bonus points if you show up with Pokey Stix.

• Visit your favorite professor’s office hours one last time, even if you haven’t taken the class in several semesters. They’ll be happy to hear from you and they may even have some parting words of wisdom to share. 
• Sit in on a lecture for a class you’ve always wanted to take, but never had the chance to. Always wished you could take SOC 119 or THEA 100? Me too. Let’s go.

• Hike Mount Nittany and enjoy the sunrise or sunset over Happy Valley (or both!). 
• For the outdoor enthusiast, check out other great hiking locations nearby such as Whipple Dam, Bald Eagle State Park, Black Moshannon State Park, Rothrock State Forest and Shingletown Gap.

• Organize a bar tour with a group of your friends and order silly t-shirts that you’re probably only going to wear once. Buy it anyway. 
• Instead of a bar tour, go on a food tour of your favorite sites (or ones you haven’t been to yet), a pizza crawl, a fry tour – the options are endless.

• Go inside Old Main if you’ve never been before. Many don’t realize that Old Main is open during the day– you can just walk inside! You’ll catch a glimpse of the gorgeous frescoes that depict Penn State’s history. Keep an eye out for opportunities to climb the bell tower too. 
• Play hide-n-seek in the stacks. Would highly recommend doing this one before finals week.

• Be one of the strong to survive 55 Days of Cafe.
• Make up your own PSU challenge for the remainder of the school year– Maybe it’s 10 days of new fitness classes, a challenge to try every flavor of Cafe tea, a challenge to study at a favorite spot on campus each day, or Phifteen days of the Phyrst.

• Get a selfie with Coach Franklin. Want 2 take the time 2 wish some members of OUR FAMILY Happy Graduation! #107KStrong 
• Shotgun a 409 Paterno Legacy beer at 4:09am/pm on Old Main in honor of JoePa’s legacy and the Penn Staters who came before you. Thou Didst Mold Us Dear Old State.

It’s the final countdown. Make it count. Seniors– what made your list?

@dazeyduke