Things to do
By Matt Muskin ’10
Illustrations by Norm Bendell
before you graduate
As my sophomore year came to a close, I suddenly
realized that my experience here so far had been just a glimpse of the amazing opportunities Colgate provides
on a daily basis — and I knew there were many more
that I had not yet discovered.
nce I began to see all that Colgate would do
for me in four years, I knew I had to find a way to
help other students see the same for themselves. So
much of what happens here is a shared experience,
and each person’s perspective shapes his neighbor’s.
The trouble is, time slips by faster than one would
expect, so a “cheat sheet” with some ideas about
how to take advantage of everything that Colgate
offers seemed like a great idea. I decided I wanted to
make a list that would capture a moment, but could,
and would, change over time: 101 things, as uniquely
Colgate as possible, that students should consider
doing before they walk the stage at commencement.
Working with Beverly Low, dean of first-year
students, I was able to develop my idea further and
make it a reality. The process of making the list come
alive was both fun and creative. It required that I
actually delineate all of the ways I spent my time on
campus. I e-mailed a large group of friends and other
students and began to collect “data” — all of the
unique and special experiences people told me they
had at Colgate. What they shared ranged from the
pedestrian (a weekly Sunday dinner with friends) to
the sublime (a first kiss on the Willow Path). I also
found myself wanting to try everything I received
for the list.
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scene: Summer 2010
In true Colgate fashion, this list is inexhaustible;
every student has at least one moment that has
helped define his or her time here.
The most exciting part of the project was when I
hand-delivered a copy of the list to each member of
the Class of 2012 on their move-in day. Amidst all of
the chaos and excitement that comes with meeting
roommates, choosing beds, and saying goodbye to
parents for the first time, the incoming class had a
living document — created by their peers — that
gave them an idea of how unpredictable and exciting their four years could be.
We updated the list for the Class of 2013 (for one,
sadly, Big Norm, the world’s largest pig, had died,
so that field trip to Hubbardsville was off the table)
and again in anticipation of the arrival of the Class
of 2014.
Ultimately, we created a guide that truly embraces a Colgate value: being well-versed in not only
one’s studies but also in one’s surroundings. I have
always admired that quality, and the list is a great
way for students to get to know Colgate inside and
out, and to make the most of their time here.
Alumni and students from across the generations: What’s on your must-do list?
Visit www.colgatealumni.org/scene101 and post your comment.
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1 Make
your lucky number 2
3 Throw down a blanket and have a picnic on the Village Green
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8 Shake it on stage or in your seat at Dancefest 9
10 Hang out with Adam and Eve while reading by Taylor Lake
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12 Get adventurous and sign up
Organize a campuswide event relating to a personal interest
Explore the trails and the Darwin Path at the top of the Ski Hill
Find the best hill for sledding…by trial and error, of course!
Play or sing your heart out at the Barge’s Open Mic Nights
Have a “beach day” at Lineberry Natatorium’s Open Swim hours
Go to the Hamilton Theater’s
Midnight Movie and pay $3 for a ticket and a slice of pizza
Take a gym class in a sport you’ve never tried before
for an Outdoor Ed. trip
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13 Learn the definition of triskaidekaphobia
Learn more about a professor while having dinner at his or her house
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Try a little romance and go out on a date!
Take a chance on a class in a department that is out of your comfort zone
Have a weekly Sunday dinner with a group of friends
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Slip (only once!) on the Persson steps
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Say “hello” and start a conversation with a stranger (this one
21 Be a Rowdy Raider and support Colgate athletics! 22
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27 Attend 24 Hour Burn, the annual play that is you can do many times!)
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Volunteer through one of the many programs at the COVE
Go for a dip in Lebanon Reservoir 28
office hours just to introduce yourself
like Poker Night
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Get out your telescope and look at the stars from the Old Golf Course
Try a problem of a different kind at the Angert Family Climbing Wall
Play on an intramural sport team; whether it’s trapshooting or ping-pong, you can compete against
the campus’s best
Catch a great view and study in the Persson skybridge
written, cast, and performed in a single day
Check out the constellations from the Foggy Bottom Observatory
30 Find your center at Buddhist Meditation 31
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Stop into President Herbst’s office hours, even if just to meet him
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Put yourself out there: go to a professor’s
Take advantage of the great weekly events at Donovan’s Pub,
Create a Relay for Life team and stay up all night to fight cancer
News and views for the Colgate community
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34 Be the founding member of your own club 35 Throw Big Red gum onto
the ice at the Colgate-Cornell hockey game 36
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38 Experience new cuisines at Frank’s cultural food nights 39
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42 Get out on the links at Seven Oaks, one of the best college golf
courses in the country 43
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47 Have a first kiss on the Willow Path bridge — but choose wisely! Legend has it that a first kiss here leads to marriage. 48
49 Find the Colgate Rock Visit Chapel House and peruse the books and art in its amazing library
from the pros at an English department lecture or poetry reading
Hear it
Keep yourself up to
date on what’s happening in the world — it’s easy to get lost in the Colgate bubble
Jump into Taylor Lake (and then wonder why you did)
Challenge some of
the most knowledgeable people in Hamilton at the Colgate Inn’s Trivia Night
Get a great milkshake at Gilligan’s Island in Sherburne
Try to stand an egg up on the Autumnal Equinox (9/22/10 at 23:09)
Make yourself heard (or read): write an article for the Maroon-News
Satiate that sweet tooth with some goodies at Maxwell’s Chocolates
Steal a tray from Frank to use as a sled when the snow calls
Quarry above the Old Golf Course
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Go to an Off-Off-Off-Off-Broadway show at Brehmer Theater
stressed? Treat yourself to a massage at Mezza Luna
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Feeling
52 Become a little more limber: take a student-taught yoga class
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Go to the dollar store, and try to find something that actually costs a dollar
show on WRCU 90.1 FM
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Embrace your inner foodie: try all of the great restaurants in the towns
surrounding Hamilton
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Share your musical inclinations: host a radio
Picking up a new tongue? Visit the tables of Babel in the back of Frank to perfect that accent
57 Attend a Senate meeting to stay
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60 Have a great conversation and a free lunch at a Brown Bag
discussion 61
62 Support Colgate’s finest men in the Mr. Colgate competition 63
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65 Become a human canvas for beautiful colors at Holi, the Hindu spring festival 66
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68 Remember to make a connection on every Friday the 13th by wearing Colgate clothing!
aware of what’s happening in Student Government
See your books move at the LASR Observation Deck on the 4th floor of Case Library
Wander the library’s archives and get a little lost in a sea of books
See the stars and much more in the Ho Tung Visualization Lab
Realize your dream of being a cowboy or cowgirl: ride the mechanical bull during Spring Party Weekend
Enjoy the company of your
roommates over the weekend: watch a movie and just relax!
Broaden your view: attend a religious ceremony of a faith that is not your own
at CAB’s Take Two
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scene: Summer 2010
See two great movies in one sitting 69
Impress yourself by building the biggest snowman you’ve ever seen
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Support local businesses at the Saturday morning Farmers Market on the Village Green
71 Rent a kayak from the boathouse and get out on beautiful Lake Moraine 72
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Dessert Sampler at the Colgate Inn Tap Room
Feed your craving for sweets with the
Taste some local beers like Saranac and Ommegang, and see where they are made on a brewery tour (when you’re old enough!)
74 Study for your next quiz on a comfy couch with a hot chocolate at the Barge Canal Coffee Co. 75
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79 Order a “slice” to your room
from Slices 80
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84 Discuss timely topics with professors
and other first-years at Think Tank in Frank Dining Hall 85
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88 Find out where Adam and Eve spend their winters 89
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92 Revel in a cappella, one of Colgate’s finest traditions,
at Jambo and Akfest 93
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95 Be a part of Colgate history: ring the Shop your heart out at the legendary Wegmans supermarket in Syracuse
Learn to throw a Frisbee (and maybe even play a game of Ultimate)
of public speaking by joining the Colgate Speaking Union
Master the elusive art
Become a master on your feet: take
one of Colgate’s many dance classes
Get a “Slices Come Plain Only” T-shirt and wear a Colgate tradition
on your back!
Have a prank war with friends
During finals, take a breather with
one of the many study breaks offered throughout the week
Set up a picnic with friends
on the top of the Ski Hill
Find your inner Nostradamus and predict Colgate’s first snowfall
Looking for a study space off the beaten path? Take refuge at Conant House
Got some extra energy? Run a half-marathon in the Colgate area (visit www.cnyrunning.com)
Have a BBQ at the grills located between Curtis and Drake or Andrews
and Stillman, by Birch 5, or in front of Commons
Find out all of Colgate’s “13” connections
Explore the various ski slopes in Colgate’s neighborhood
Go green: sign up for the GreenBikes program
See the tallest building in central New York at the Turning Stone Casino
Chapel bell and sign your name on the wall in the bell tower
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possible in your first year
Get to know every person (and his or her name) in your residence hall
Be an Olympian — a Colgate Winter Olympian
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Introduce yourself to Dean Low as soon as Follow the “Powers of 10” Glass Panels in the Ho Science Center
Ask Gary Ross if he remembers your application essay; you’ll likely be pleasantly surprised!
101 Spread the Colgate love:
host a prospective student through the admission office
News and views for the Colgate community
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