Senior Strategies: 8 Things For Your Senior Year Bucket List

Senior year is a great year to do some work, enjoy each day, and look forward to your future. Graduation is coming up and you have one last chance to make some lasting memories. For some, senior year is about Carpe Diem while for others it's as bad as a Greek tragedy. Let's build you a senior year bucket list!

Instead of thinking about your last opportunities, think about all the firsts coming up in your life. Whether you play the violin in the string orchestra, play lacrosse, lead in student government, or do something somewhere in between, you can find something meaningful to do your senior year. Before you graduate, I suggest:

1. Go to school events: Most schools have so much to get involved with including sports, plays, musical concerts, etc... Catch a few games or concerts you skipped throughout the rest of high school. Support a friend. Get excited about a friend's baseball game, your classmate's starring role in the school play, or an outstanding senior cello concerto.
2.  Make a new friend: Whether you know everyone in your senior class or have 3 or 4 best friends, there is probably someone you don't know. An underclassman can use some encouragement in that tough science class you already aced. Or a fellow senior would love a congratulations for working during lunch and after school on robot design.
3. Learn to cook more than ramen: Your mom or dad may make great food or the pizza place around the corner delivers anytime, but a quick meal of ramen will not help you study for those college midterms. Some clever cooking skills can help you through the challenges of late night studying or too much dorm food.
4. Complete a food challenge: Some restaurants offer a burger, taco or ice cream challenge.  Eat a large amount so you can win a gift card and t-shirt. Make your own food challenge to try unusual foods, put together silly food combos, or out eat your friends. A fun at home challenge lets you spend time with friends and enjoy interesting food.
5. Have a fun or silly photo shoot: Dress up in a silly costume or do a crazy dance. Put together a quick skit or act out a game of charades as a group to shake up the monotony of those long days at school. You could parody your senior year to capture the fun of high school. Capture it in photos or on video and post online or share among friends.
6. Thank a teacher for his or her impact on your life: Teachers don't often get thanked. Let a teacher or two know how they inspired you to dig deeper or motivated you to develop new interests. A thank you helps a teacher to see the real difference he or she makes in student's lives. This is a great way to brighten someone's day.
7. Stop just tolerating my brother (or sister): When you head off to college, family members left at home should have good memories of your time with them. Visiting at Christmas time is so much better when your brother, sister, aunt, cousin, or neighbor look forward to seeing you.
8. Take a road trip: As you get older, you probably want a degree of freedom and independence. A road trip with friends, whether a half day's drive or week-long drive, can teach you trip planning, budgeting, and compromising. This is a great way to create good memories before settling into more serious stuff.

Senior year of high school only happens once. Use this senior year bucket list to inspire you. Instead of getting nostalgic, take advantage of the opportunities around you, take photos, and save those memories of a great year in your life.

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