Before you give up on everything your Florida State to-do list, take your time left in college to do the things you’ll never be able to do again. Once President Thrasher says your name and you shake the Dean’s hand, you’re officially a responsible, grown-up adult. So get up, turn off SNL and use this list as a way to procrastinate on what you probably should be doing.
1. Go to the Strip
Whether or not you consider yourself a party animal, you can’t leave FSU without knowing what takes place in these bars. From drunk freshman hitting on clearly uninterested girls, to dancers wildly gyrating to “Turn Down For What,” brace yourself for the place where most mistakes happen. “The Strip is great because if you’re not feeling the music in one bar you can hop to another,” FSU junior Caroline Grandchamp said. “It’s a place where everyone’s interests can be satisfied in terms of music. Also, freshman may barf on you at Yianni’s, so beware.”
2. Attempt the Freshman 15
I’m not saying to eat five meals a day at Suwannee, but a mutual obsession with Guthries makes the best of friends. “I lived in Sally Hall, so Fresh is convenient, but when I wanted to mix things up I would go to Robotos for the sake of eating something different,” FSU junior Jonathan Roth said. “I do love Kool Beanz Café—it may be expensive but, dear God, you get what you pay for.” Remember, you’re better off a few pounds heavier than friendless. Satisfy your stomach at 2 a.m. with Sumo Sabi rather than with week-old pasta.
3. Study in Stroz or Dirac
If you’re the kind of person who can’t bear be distracted, Dirac may be a better library for you. Besides, they both have Starbucks now, so you can choose a library objectively rather than just to get your caffeine fill. FSU junior Liam Perez said, “Dirac is definitely a library all Noles should hit up because it’s calming and state of the art.” So whether you want to study alone, in a group, or just study in style, go to Dirac or Stroz where your brain can feed off other Seminoles’ creativity.
4. Take a Dip in Wescott Fountain on Your 21st Birthday
You just can’t break the traditional rules of Seminolism. Grab your tipsy friends after Purgatory at Pots, walk up the hill and prepare to freeze your ass off if your birthday is during the winter. “They scooped me up to throw me in, and then I screamed at the top of my lungs that I was the birthday princess and didn’t want to ruin my makeup,” FSU junior Sydney Lithman said. “Then they put me down and I hopped in myself.” So girls, be warned: Wear waterproof mascara or prepare for a face-full of runny makeup.
5. Take a Class at the Leach
Whether you prefer spinning, yoga, Tabata or power cardio—get your ass to the Leach and release some steam with a fitness class. Plus, every class is free with tuition, so you can’t complain about the “Nole 15” when FSU encourages a student to work those muscles apart from the uphill battles to class. FSU junior Nathan Szpilfeigel said, “Over the summer I played ball at the Leach every day, and sometimes even girls play ball, too.” What better place to meet hot girls than by being the only guy in the cardio class?
6. Attend the FSU Flying High Circus
FSU hosts an entirely student-run circus on campus, only one out of two universities in the nation to accomplish this feat. “I immediately fell in love with the circus when I went watch it as a freshman. I decided to try my luck in the audition process my sophomore year and I haven’t looked back since,” FSU junior Kamal Zebib said. “I have been a catcher for a Quartet Adagio team and I’m currently in Hand Balancing act.” Do I really need to convince you to attend a circus performance—isn’t just the thought of someone flying through mid-air exciting?
7. Attend a Theater Performance
The School of Theatre at FSU often ranks in the top 10 for Broadway success. “Every time I step on stag I feel a huge surge of energy going through my body. Being an introverted person myself, theatre has allowed me come out of my shell,” FSU senior Logan Mortier said. “The work really pays off when you can stand on stage and tell your character’s story through your performance.” FSU alumni Montego Glover won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in the musical Memphis—so yes, Noles’ dreams do come true. You’ll even want to bend and snap when you watch them perform Legally Blonde: The Musical.
8. Take Advantage of Oglesby Union
Day after day we pass the Union, sprinting to class after a long night of doing homework (or someone). In the midst of our stressful lives, we forget that the Union provides many activities to de-stress, like Paint a Pot and Crenshaw Bowling Lanes. Grab a date, take your best friend, drag your roommate out of her study bubble and paint ceramics or try your luck bowling without bumpers. When you look back at college, you’ll want to remember how cool it was that all these things were available within a three mile radius.
9. Pose With the Garnet and Gold Guys
Twenty years from now, when your kid asks why your school did this, you’ll still have no idea. Regardless, you appreciate two dudes covered in glitter—because we are F-L-O-R-I-D-A S-T-A-T-E and we bleed garnet and gold (glitter).
10. Tailgate, Tailgate and Tailgate Some More
Everyone wants an excuse to visit Heritage Grove or eat a giant Pretzel while watching SMAG and Dalvin Cook lead the team to victory. “FSU football is the best because on Saturdays everyone becomes friends automatically. There is nothing better than high fiving complete strangers after a big play,” FSU graduate student Jason Lynn said. “What I get out of tailgating is the satisfaction of seeing everyone enjoying my cooking and each other’s company.” At FSU, it doesn’t matter who you tailgate with, because no matter what, you’re loved for supporting your Semionles.
None of us want to follow the crowd, but every Seminole should look back on the past four years of their lives and be proud that they went to a university filled with a variety of priceless activities to do—a place where boredom wasn’t an option.
