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By Kayla Bridgers, Family Programs Student Coordinator, Transition & Success Initiatives

If I could describe college, I would describe it as a whirlwind. According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, “people sometimes use whirlwind to describe a situation that happens suddenly and that is full of lots of quickly changing or confusing activity.” For me, as a senior expected to graduate this upcoming May, college quickly came and went. Each semester has been met with changes around every corner. My advice for students would be to appreciate the time they have here at UNC Charlotte and experience all it has to offer while they can. Soon enough, your student may be like me, looking back and reminiscing on all the things they did or could have done while in college.

Today I will be highlighting ten things from the 49 Things To Do Before You Graduate list created by the Transition & Success Initiatives office I work for on campus. As a bonus, I’ve included some things you and your student can do together! Follow along, in no particular order, and maybe you and your student can create some memories that they will carry with them long after graduation, too! (Note: some of them can be ticked off simultaneously).

#6 Visit the Botanical Gardens on campus and #43 Learn About Bonnie Cone’s Legacy…

The Botanical Gardens on campus are where many can find themselves lost in all its beauty and allure. They have an array of different plants and small ponds that will turn anyone into a nature lover. If you and your student are looking to take a stroll, read a book, or simply want to just take in its serene setting, then this is the place for you. In addition, it is a hotspot for many graduation photos. Check out their website for the policies regarding photography in the Gardens!

Something that I also find interesting about the Botanical Gardens is that our university founder, Bonnie E. Cone, was laid to rest there. If you are curious and want to see for yourself, she is located in the Van Landingham Glen garden in the Botanical Gardens on campus. With everything Bonnie Cone did to make this campus what it is today, it would make sense that this would be her final resting place. You can learn about our university founder’s legacy by visiting the Gardens or Atkins Library.

#27 Take a picture with Norm the Niner and #45 Cheer on the 49ers at a Charlotte Athletic Event

There are so many athletic events students and families can attend together. Some of the most notable ones for me have been our football and basketball games. There you can cheer on the 49ers and meet Norm the Niner. At our last home football game, I made it a goal of mine to take a picture with Norm. It was a bittersweet moment when I realized that this would be my last home football game as an undergraduate student. To commemorate that, I have a picture of me and a friend with our pickaxes up with Norm. For me, it was important to live out a lot of these lasts because these are the moments we will have to look back on. College seems to go by abnormally fast, so remind your student to take advantage of all the opportunities they have at their fingertips now before they cross the stage on graduation day.

#18 Enjoy the beauty of Charlotte’s campus... and #44 Ride the light rail to explore the City of Charlotte

There is no doubt that our campus is beautiful despite its many hills and steps. Be prepared to be a little out of breath - I cannot tell you how many times I have had to fake not being completely winded from walking on campus. Nonetheless, our campus’s charm is what initially drew me in to visit and later call it home. I fell in love with its vastness, modern appeal, and landscape that resembled something out of a college magazine. It is like a world of its own! Enjoy our campus with family by taking in Lake Hechenbleikner, where you and your student are sure to encounter some of our campus geese (beware, they may be a friend or a foe)! Make the most out of some cool spring weather by laying in the hammocks near the College of Health and Human Services, or just take a stroll!

While on campus, hop on the LYNX Blue Line Light Rail and explore all that the city of Charlotte has to offer. The light rail is free for all UNC Charlotte students. I am originally from Maryland and found it a lot easier to use than the Metro train found in the D.C. area. The Blue Line of the light rail here has stops all along Charlotte and simply goes North to UNC Charlotte’s Main Station or South to I-485/South Blvd. Some fun places I have been via the light rail are Truist Field, the Spectrum Center, Amelie’s French Bakery, Hot Taco, and our Center-City campus.

#20 Bring your family to a family event on campus like New Family Reception or Family Weekend

One of the things I wished I got to participate in was Family Weekend. With me starting college in Fall of 2019, I missed out on a lot of things I wish I could get back. Not to mention, my family is from Maryland and could not attend a lot of events like Family Weekend. However, working in this office, I got to see so many families spending quality time with one another and just having fun. Some of the highlights of Family Weekend are attending our home football game, tailgating, meeting with university leaders, and being able to create your own adventure and experience all our campus has to offer. Remember to be on the lookout for some family events that we are currently planning for you all!

#11 Participate in a Campus Activities Board Program like Haunted Union

Each year around Halloween time UNC Charlotte hosts the Haunted Union. Rooms in the Union are set up where students can experience a variety of different scary rooms in a maze that will surely frighten all who choose to embark on it. When I attended my Freshman year, I remember holding on tightly to my friends as we braced for what awaited us. People would pop out from every corner, walk on all fours towards us, and we even were chased with a chainless-chainsaw. I am pretty sure the whole Union could hear us as we ran out screaming. It’s a memory that will stay with me and something your students will surely enjoy with friends.

#10 Grow your leadership skills through student organizations, academic college departmental opportunities, or on-campus employment

Some of the greatest moments I’ve had in college have been from some of the student organizations and on-campus employment opportunities I have participated in. For me, I love to be a part of something bigger than myself. I have developed and grown as an individual and a professional from some of the roles I have taken on while in college. They have allowed me to learn different things about myself and helped to mold me into who I am today all while being a source of enjoyment.

As a member of a sorority on campus, I was able to form bonds and grow from the roles I took on while a part of Greek Life. As a peer advisor, I was able to get out of my comfort zone and help first year and pre-major students academically in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. It was fun being a part of events like Admitted Students Day where I was able to share my experiences and connect with so many Niner families and their students. It was on Admitted Students Day where I bonded with a potential student, got to show her around campus, and even took her to our Spring football game with some of my friends. It felt amazing to be able to share why I love this university so much and help make this college feel like home for many of your students.

As a Family Programs Student Coordinator here in the Transition and Success Initiatives office, I have been able to join an amazing staff unlike any other and develop professionally. I have been able to develop my writing and have been challenged to grow as both a student and as a person. For all the opportunities I have had and will have in this office, I am eternally grateful. They and so many others have seen my potential, given me a chance, and helped me develop as a leader, a student, and as an adult. Encourage your student(s) to get out of their comfort zone and try different things before they graduate!

#33 Watch a Movie at the Popp Martin Student Union

Last, but not least, I would highly recommend you and your student to visit the Popp Martin Student Union and catch a movie! Movie times are posted on the Popp Martin Student Union website. It is free for all UNC Charlotte students and only costs $2 for non-UNC Charlotte students to attend. They have many movies that have come out recently or some that will bring back some nostalgia for you and your family.

Nonetheless, there are so many different things on the 49 Things To Do Before You Graduate list that your student and you can do as a family! Let us know which ones you enjoyed the most!