#111: Wear the Honors of Honor

            May 22, 2011: I crossed off #1 on my lifelist. I have worn the honors of Honor, I have graduated from Virginia.

The Rest of 'Em

            Summer sun and overall ennui have overcome me, and I feel it's nearly time to say goodbye to this portion of the blog. Here are some of the less interesting list items that I crossed off and don't feel like sharing:

14. Go out of your way to help a stranger

24. Volunteer in the Charlottesville Community

     28.  Hang out at a Final Friday reception at the UVA Art Museum

34. Take a drive up on skyline

36. Befriend a first year

45. Take a different route to class

63. Enjoy Spudnuts

68. Say thank you to a university employee

71. Watch an improv show

73. Tube down the James

74. Listen to an Acapella performance

78. Bounce on Ruffner bridge

93. Eat a pancake for Parkinsons

94. Be a part of the UVA Green Challenge

102. Nom nom on a Gusburger

103. Be a crazy Hoo Crew member

105. Branch out at Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar

 The only item I did not complete was  #22: Donate Blood or Support a Friend's Donation. I simply didn't have a good point in my schedule to give this year, and may not even be eligible due to my poor diet! I don't feel too bad about only missing 1/111... it's something I will do in my life and isn't strictly related to UVa. One more post to come :D

#43: Chow Down at the Tavern

             Second year, Joe and I joined Dave (and I believe Dan Allen and maybe Julie) for Sunday brunch at the Tavern, "where students, tourists, & townspeople meet". I got the traditional Tavern pancakes-- very cheap and delicious. The cafe is a favorite of students who know about it, but it's also easily overlooked and a little difficult to get to since it's in the shopping center across from Barrack's.

          Unfortunately, I only made it there once, and the landmark is rumored to be closing this December. After 30 years open to Charlottesville, even my dad is sad to see the Tavern go.

#32: See a concert at the Charlottesville Pavillion

First year: Hollie, Tori, Christina, Van, Vicki, Carter and I went to the Switchfoot concert headlined by Sparky's Flaw (now Parachute).

             I also took advantage of Fridays after 5 at the beginning of each fall semester... these events are so fun! Totally free to the public, you can purchase beer here, see old couples and kids alike dancing to live music! The pavillion is just another example of the strong sense of community in Charlottesville that I've already begun to miss.

#40: Have a Dorm Reunion

I will never forget the Friday night before graduation when we water-bottled around Grounds.

            "Life is partly what we make it, and partly what is made by the friends we choose." -- Tennessee Williams

#30: Have a Sunday Funday

            Looking back, I'm kind of ashamed I never actually did a Sunday Funday during classes, especially since I didn't have any on Mondays! But Graduation fell on a Sunday thus enabling me to have one last hoo-rah at bars. I never really found out what the Sunday Funday specials were, but I know that at Biltmore mimosas were only $3 starting at 11am.

         Thanks to these 3 ladies and Molly, I had a blast dancing in the strobe lights of the beach bar one last time amidst a tempestuous lightning show in the sky that eventually gave way to a downpour. But bars were dead that night-- I'm assuming because people were throwing their own individual parties. That night (our last one, of course) there were older men and nerdy looking older females abound.

And so our transition into "those sketchy alumni" occurred.

#25: See the river on the Lawn

             The river is one of those word of mouth things you have to learn about as a student. It can be seen by laying on the south end of the Rotunda and lookinig up at the columns and backwards down the end of the Lawn. The grass makes the river and the trees are the banks! The first time I ever saw it was first year after a life-changing conversation on the steps. My life was so different then.