"I go to Athens because it reminds me of why we are alive."

Have you ever tried and failed to find the right words to describe something only to have someone else nail it perfectly? For one of my last posts I wanted to tell you how special Athens is and why I will probably never live outside of reasonable driving distance from the Classic City. I wanted to tell you why you should take the time to look around you every day because you will surely find something wonderful right in front of you. I wanted to tell you why I am so excited to be finished with school, but devastated to leave Athens. I wanted to describe to you why Athens is truly a one-of-a-kind place, but I couldn't find the right words.

Fortunately for me and you, Mark E. Murphy, a Savannah physician and writer, found the perfect words.

Read this Tumblr post.

Read it again.

Absorb it.

Now don’t you dare take your time in Athens for granted because while this crazy place is home for a few years, you’ll never forget it, the people you met here, or the great times you had.

I know I talked about cherishing your time at UGA in my last post, but it is an important enough point that I don’t feel bad about repeating myself.

If you ignored my demanding “Read it again.” At least re-read this part of Dr. Murphy’s fantastic post:

“I wanted to tell her that life was too short, that she should revel in this moment, that she should enjoy every second of college because she’s going to spend the rest of her life trying to get back to this point, right here. And she’ll fail, because once it’s over, it’s over. Everything else is an imitation, a sham, a mirage.”

Once it’s over, it’s over. Honestly, since I am so painfully close to graduation, that simple truth brings tears to my eyes.

It is hard to believe that my best friends will never live as close to me as they do right now. One is upstairs, a couple of them are around the corner, and another is a whole 7 minutes drive away in 5 Points.

It is hard to believe that once I have a full-time job I can’t take spontaneous road trips without worrying about any real responsibilities.

It is hard to believe that my days of sitting in Park Hall discussing Shakespeare, Chopin, Fitzgerald, and other literary legends are over.

It’s hard to believe, but it is what it is. Everything else is an imitation.

So, why am I depressing you with my nostalgia?

I think Billy Madison can sum it up:

So don't waste any time worrying about the details. Enjoy every second of your time at UGA. And yes I am aware of how much easier it is to say that than to actually do it, but try. Take classes you want to take, not because they are required, or because Koofers says it has a 3.9 average GPA, but because you are genuinely interested in that class. Have movie nights with your friends, go on random drives around town, go to dinner and have a real conversation about real things. Explore Athens. It has so much to offer aside from bars and a lot of it you may never see without making a little effort. Don't stress out too much about school. Seriously, don't. It's not worth it. Plus, in a couple of weeks or years, depending on how old you are, you probably won't even remember that test you are freaking out about right now.

Everything will work out in the end. It usually does, right? That's the main lesson I have learned from my time at UGA that I want to pass onto you. Everything will work out eventually. You just have to give it your best shot, give it time, and then enjoy the waiting line.

p.s. Go Dawgs.

Make a (College) Bucket List

It is nine days until graduation and I have not completed everything on my UGA bucket list. Here it is:

Luckily, I will be sticking around Athens for another month or so and I am determined to check at least a couple more things off my list. 

Don’t end up like me desperately trying to fulfill a goal with not enough time left. Make a bucket list of everything you want to do before you graduate. Make it with your friends so you have partners in crime and enough stories to eventually bore your grand kids  Write it down! You are more likely to do something if you write it down. That’s science. Laminate the sucker if it means you are more likely to accomplish everything you want to!

Now, if you are unsure of what you want to write down, I’ll share with you everything I included on my bucket list. Some are age-old UGA traditions and some are just personal goals I set for myself. Either way, they may inspire you to jot down a bucket list of your own.

1. Sit in the student section at a football game. Now this may seem odd, but you would be surprised how many times you get roped into sitting at the very tippy top of Sanford stadium with the fraternity boys. Sit in the student section! It is so much more fun and I wish I had done it more often!
2. Go see a movie at Ciné.
3. Go to a Gym Dogs meet. Ten.Time.National.Champions. That is all.
4. Eat at ECV (dining hall) for dinner as a senior. You will appreciate it so much more once you have been cooking for yourself for a while. 
5. Ring the Chapel Bell. Get an A? Get a job? Finally talk to that boy in bio? Let Athens know!
6. Go to a lecture at the Chapel. They happen a lot. Check UGA's Master Calendar.
7. Complete a Pauley's Beer Card. Like beer? Go for it! I, sadly, never did.
8. Hang out on North Campus on a nice day! Have you seen how beautiful North Campus is?
9. Go to Terrapin.  A great thing to do once you turn 21! 
10. Experience the Athens Twilight Criterium. It's like a football game...in the spring...with bicycles.
11. Go to a show at the Georgia Theatre.
12. Get breakfast at Mama's Boy. You will have to wait in line. But it's worth it.
13. Enjoy downtown in the daytime. Yes, there are things to do downtown in the bright light of day.
14. Go to a UGA Theatre performance. Macbeth? Chicago? Yes, please!
15. Go to the Georgia Museum of Art.
16. Visit the Georgia State Botanical Garden. A great place to go for a run!
17. Go on a GORP trip. Another thing I wish I had done. Check it out for your PE requirement!
18. Kayak down the Broad River. An incredibly fun day trip for the summer.
19. Go to Ath Fest.
20. Eat at every restaurant downtown. I will probably miss Athens' restaurants the most.
21. Get a picture with Uga or Hairy Dawg.
22. Go between the Hedges during a game.
23. Enjoy late night Snelling. AKA Snellebration.
24. GO TO GEORGIA/FLORIDA. I cannot stress this one enough.
25. Study or volunteer abroad! I went to South Africa with International Student Volunteers. Best decision of my life (aside from coming to UGA, of course).
26. Go to UGA night at Six Flags.
27. Go to the Great Southland Stampede Rodeo.
28. Get ice cream at the UGA Creamery.
29. See the Tree that Owns Itself
30. Go to the Homecoming game. Seeing the cute little old male cheerleaders is just a bonus.
31. Tailgate on Myers Quad.
32. Go to Dawgs after Dark.
33. Play an intramural sport.
34. Watch a quidditch match on Myers Quad. This is real.
35. Take pictures with the bulldogs around Athens.
36. Spend a summer in Athens.
37. Walk under the Arch! But not until you have graduated!

I know everyone says to cherish your time in college because it goes by so fast. But you will not really appreciate the truth of that statement until it's your turn to graduate and leave Athens. So let me give you some advice. Don't worry too much about the future. You are not just at UGA to get a degree. You are also here to get an education; the kind of education that comes from the people and the town around you as well as the pile of books on your desk. Don't take those people and this amazing town for granted. How can you do that? Make a college bucket list and make sure you are checking things off and adding to it as much as you can. Because it will be nine days until graduation before you know it.