Attended my first sports game at the United Center! This was the Blackhawks vs. Red Wings preseason game, special to me as a metro-Detroit native.

It’s the beginning of Week 4 and I keep thinking, “Jeez, where has the time gone already?!” That being said, I couldn’t be happier. My head is full of knowledge from classes, making me even more excited than I already was to start the semester. I’ve also been fortunate enough to have some spare time in my schedule to continue exploring the playground that is Chicago. Recent places I’ve had the privilege of visiting this semester are the United Center, Oz Park, Navy Pier, and Hollywood Beach. There’s just something magical about stumbling upon a new place and feeling completely content with life. With that in mind, I’ve decided to share some locations that are on my Ultimate Chicago Bucket List. 

Travel through Oz Park and greet each of its statues: check!

Listed below are places, events, and experiences that I anticipate on fulfilling before walking across that graduation stage in May:

1. Utilize Columbia’s free student admission at the Art Institute
2. Laugh until it hurts at a Second City show
3. Volunteer at the Chicago Marathon
4. Ride the Chicago Water Taxi
5. Dig through the crates at Jazz Record Mart
6. Go to the Busy Beaver Button Museum
7. Stroll through Graceland Cemetery
8. Explore the Newberry Library and the Chicago Cultural Center
9. Taste a rainbow cone at Original Rainbow Cone
10. Experience the Lyric Opera
11. Wander the Mirror Maze at the Museum of Science & Industry
12. Sip a drink in the Signature Lounge
13. Admire the skyline from Montrose Point
14. Participate in the Polar Plunge
15. Slide down The Picasso
16. Pull of the Museum Campus Triple Crown
17. Visit the Garfield Park Conservatory
18. Ride every color of train from beginning to end
19. Witness the Lincoln Park ZooLights
20. Spot and ride the CTA Holiday Train

Is the above list ambitious? Certainly. Will I accomplish everything on my bucket list? Perhaps. Do we live in a culturally vibrant city? Absolutely. And I encourage each of you to take a minute and brainstorm what you want to experience during your time as a Chicagoan. Because after all, these two years are the perfect opportunity to take advantage of what Chicago has to offer those who call it home.

Enjoying the sunshine during our adventure at Hollywood Beach!