Are you nearing the end of your college career and feel like you haven’t done everything? You’re not alone. Here are 50 things to do before graduating college to make the most of your time in school. From studying abroad to landing a great job, these tips will help you make the most of your time in college. So what are you waiting for? Start checking items off that list!
College Activities
1. Take a graduation photoshoot
2. Go somewhere secluded to experience peace (no dogs, no kids, no roommates)
3. Join a sports team or a club
4. See your professors outside of class
5. Live with other students in the same grade as you
6. Start working on your senior project/thesis earlier than last minute
7. Volunteer at an elderly home or hospital
8. Invite other students over for dinner or drinks
9. Learn about financial aid/scholarships early on so you can apply throughout college instead of rushing before deadlines
10. Own at least one book by dead authors, male and female authors represented
11. Have a nice fancy at-home dinner party with all of your friends
12. Figure out majors/degrees that sound interesting to you and research them ahead of time
13. Participate in traditions/culture
14. Travel at least one state away from where you live
15. Participate in office hours and extra credit opportunities
16. Get vocal about any campus or student problems instead of keeping it all bottled up and pretending everything is fine when it’s not, so issues can be fixed as quickly as possible
17. Apply for study abroad programs or national college exchange programs (where you go to another country, temporarily) so you’ll have some international experience too, as well as some life experience to share for future interviews
18. Attend any sports games or performances
19. Get an internship and connect with alumni who could potentially help you get a job after college
20. Take more than one art class and learn more about art history every year of college instead of just taking it all at once junior spring
21. Shop around for cheap parts of town to live in during college (at least 2 areas) so you don’t feel like you’re stuck somewhere dangerous the whole time (this may be hard since some colleges require students to live on campus or nearby)
22. Have meaningful conversations with your professors
23. Participate in senior presentations (groups of college students work on a project, like a documentary or resume book, before graduating)
24. Have professors/advisors who you can confide in when college becomes too overwhelming
25. Have roommates from diverse backgrounds and different majors, instead of just the same major or just all girls/guys
26. Celebrate all of the small wins/accomplishments with college friends (and even college strangers) instead of keeping them all to yourself
27. Take as many pictures as you can or keep a journal with all of the drama
28. Get certificates or take small courses during college instead of waiting until after graduation
29. Do community service during college as part of your college curriculum
30. Participate in lectures (even if they’re boring), like TED talks, radio show recordings, speeches, webinars, seminars, etc.
31. Talk to your college professors during office hours instead of waiting for an email reply or never getting a response from one at all
32. Go to college extra credit opportunities and give yourself more chances to get better grades on important assignments/tests
33. Celebrate college international weeks with international students instead of walking straight past them when you see them in the hallways
34. Get a college mentor who’s at least 10 years older than you are so they can help guide your college decisions/advice
35. Get tutoring help from other students instead of professors, who don’t have time to focus on each student’s individual problems
36. Work on your career goals ahead of time instead of rushing it all at once soon after graduation
37. Get involved in activities besides the ones that look good on resumes or scholarship applications, like ones that you are actually interested in, not just another way to get ahead in life
38. Go on college mini-trips with friends during college instead of spending all your free time alone apart from schoolwork (plus these trips will be more memorable because there will be memories attached to them)
39. Have college friends come to visit you, instead of waiting for you to go visit them so college doesn’t feel lonely and far away
40. Go out to open houses, fairs, festivals, or campus tours
41. Enjoy college food instead of craving “adult” food that most students can’t afford
42. Find out the exact budget you’re working with each school year so you don’t live in poverty after graduation
43. Make a bucket list and do all the activities on there instead of putting them off until senior year because college is a time for self-discovery, not waiting around until graduation
44. Find scholarships that match your unique interests/goals instead of going for generic ones since those won’t be helpful until grad school anyway
45. Listen to lectures online ahead of time, if possible, so you can save time by not wasting hours sitting through them during class
46. Get some extracurricular college experience with younger students (if you don’t have much work or life experience) so college won’t be social suicide
47. Start planning your post-college goals during senior year so there won’t be any regrets
48. Go to college parties, even if you’re not into the party scene, just for fun instead of staying home alone during the weekend
49. Get involved in classes early on to get the best seats in class or have your pick instead of waiting until late to chose when you’ll have much fewer choices left after everyone else chose their preferred spots
50. Sign up for all colleges activities/clubs/jobs at least two months before they fill up because many students procrastinate all year making life after graduation stressful. The stress isn’t worth it when you could instead be enjoying yourself by having fun.
Conclusion
As you finish up your time in college, there’s a lot to do. But we’re here to help make things a little easier (or more fun) with this list of 50 activities to do before graduating. From checking items off your bucket list to exploring new places and experiences, we hope you find something that inspires you! So what are you waiting for? Start planning now and check off everything on this list before walking across the stage at graduation. How many have you done already? Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter for more great content like this.