A Gee-Gee’s bucket list that’s guaranteed to get you props
Whether you’re just entering university or starting your sixth year, there are certain university challenges you must complete. The Fulcrum compiled a list of 30 things you should do before entering the real world.
1. Participate in 101 Week. Whether you’re new to the university or if you’ve been here for far too long, it’s always a great idea to be involved. Being a frosher or a guide guarantees a good time and a chance to meet some new people.
2. Visit every campus business. Help your home away from home out and leave some (more) of your cash at the university counter. Not only do our businesses kick ass, but they often have good deals too.
3. Live in the dorms. Nothing completes the university experience quite like dorm parties and horrible roommates. This is where you’ll get all the epic stories you’ll be too ashamed to tell your grandkids.
4. Join a club. Find something that interests you and go for it. You’ll meet many like-minded people and extra-curricular activities look great on a job application. Hint: The Fulcrum’s volunteer meetings are Thursdays at 1 p.m.
5. Organize a scavenger hunt around campus. If you’re in first year, team up with a bunch of friends and put together a scavenger hunt. It will help you get to know the campus while having a ton of fun.
6. Actually study. Fun and games are all well and good until you get 30 per cent on your first midterm. Get your head out of the keg and pick up a book once in a while. It’ll suck in the moment, but you’ll thank me later.
7. In fact, get an A. For maximum impact, ace a class with a very long and complicated name and a hard-ass professor.
8. Complete the 1848 beer passport… in one night. The ultimate drinking game: Try all 28 beers from over 20 different countries in one night. Bonus: You might even win a prize!
9. Pull a prank on your roommate. Don’t be mean, but let them know you’re a force to be reckoned with. If they get too rowdy, threaten to do it again.
10. Do a keg stand. If for no other reason then to say you did.
11. Go on a road trip using your U-Pass. Explore Ottawa by getting on a series of random buses with no final destination in mind. Gather friends, make a playlist, and bring beer to drink at the last stop.
12. Jump off the highest diving board at the Morisset pool. It stands 10 metres tall, but is totally safe and fun. While you’re there, sample our awesome athletic facilities.
13. Go to a lecture in pajamas. Then raise your hand and give a clever, sophisticated answer to every question.
14. Get drunk in Hull and walk back wasted. The best part of the night will be the walk. Pro tip: Don’t do it in the winter. You’ll freeze to death.
15. Do an assignment in one night. Load up on red eye and write that 30-page monster you’ve been meaning to tackle. Make sure you read it over after a nice rest or else the final product might not make sense.
16. Survive Rabaska/uoZone/Virtual Campus. The trick is knowing the best time to use these tools. Just to be safe, don’t access them on your own computer in case you get the urge to snap it in half.
17. Have sex on campus. Try Tabaret lawn at night or an abandoned classroom.
18. Vote in a student election. And don’t spoil your ballot by drawing private parts on it. Remember, if you draw them in the box, the ballot still counts.
19. Be a Gee-Gee. Go to a game or try out for a team. You can’t call yourself a Gee-Gee until you’ve shown your support for our wonderful athletes.
20. Drink in Strathcona Park at night. Pick a clear night, grab a bottle of something alcoholic, and enjoy the stars. If you have a crush on someone, this is the perfect first kiss setting. Then proceed to number 17.
21. Crowd surf. Take advantage of U of O’s prime downtown location, go to a concert, and crowd surf. Make sure your shoes are secure and those helping you up can handle your weight. Don’t be surprised if someone grabs your butt.
22. Make like a Canadian and eat a Beavertail on the canal. You must be skating (or attempting to).
23. Check out the arts scene. Go to a poetry slam or watch a foreign film. Ottawa has great venues. Discover something new!
24. Find something awesome at the Great Glebe Garage Sale. Every May, a neighbourhood called the Glebe holds a garage sale of epic proportions. Bring a truck or a wheelbarrow and stock up on awesome things. Remember: Always bargain.
25. Grab a beer with a prof. You’ll be surprised how chill some professors are at the university. If it’s a class that actually interests you—you can tell if you only check Facebook once per class—ask the professor for a drink. You’ll learn a lot and make a very useful acquaintance. Just make sure you both know it’s not a date.
26. Get a new look. University is a pretty big deal, so jazz yourself up for it—get a haircut and some new clothes. The better you look, the better you feel, and thus the better things will turn out.
27. Go to a museum. We have amazing national museums in Ottawa for even the pickiest visitors. Make like a tourist and take yourself on a field trip!
28. Make friends. And not just Facebook friends—the real kind. The more the merrier.
29. Do something that scares you. Like public speaking, skydiving, or asking out that person you can never take your eyes off. What’s the worst that could happen?
30. Have fun. Seriously. Have a blast out there.
—Jane Lytvynenko
