The few weeks of class between spring break and graduation can be hectic — between applying for jobs, acing your last finals and celebrating your last Diadeloso, there may not be much room for free time.
However, most Baylor graduates will leave Waco after crossing the stage in the Ferrell Center, which is a big change. Before leaving the city you’ve called home for the past four years, there are a few of things we recommend you do.
Other local websites have Baylor- and Waco-specific bucket lists, but our top 10 was compiled by students for students, and should be a bit easier to complete than waiting in line for two and a half hours at Magnolia Table on a Saturday morning.
1. Visit the Waco Mammoth National Monument.
This monument is located less than 20 minutes away from Baylor, and the fossils there are the only recorded evidence of a nursery herd of ice age Columbian mammoths, according to National Park Services. Tickets are $4 for students, and the park is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.
2. Attend a concert at Common Grounds.
How cool is it that we not only have a hip, local coffee shop so close to campus, but that the space doubles as a concert venue on the weekends? Tickets for these shows are anywhere from $10 to $25 and can be purchased on Ticketfly. Upcoming artists include Honest Men and Joseph, and these next few weeks are the best time to go before the weather heats up too much.
3. See a movie at the Waco Hippodrome.
The Waco Hippodrome has been showing films and theater performances for more than 100 years and offers showings of popular films multiple times each day. Waco is a city that’s big on tradition, and it’s always fun to think of Baylor students from a different decade doing the same thing you’re doing.
4. Try a new local coffee shop or restaurant.
This is a really easy one to check off. Waco’s local food scene is very up-and-coming, and there are plenty of places to test out with some pals. Some of our personal favorites include Stone Hearth Indian Cafe, Hecho en Waco and Pinewood Coffee Roasters.
5. Have a mental breakdown and/or take a nap in Moody Memorial Library.
Let’s face it: We’ve all had that one impossible class that makes us want to cry or scream or eat a tub of ice cream — or, in the case of Baylor science classes, all of the above. It’s almost finals season, so spend the night in Moody with some friends and embrace the stress, but be sure to bring some blankets along for a quick power nap before Starbucks re-opens.
6. Enjoy a play/musical/opera put on by Baylor students.
Baylor’s music and theater students spend hours perfecting these shows, and these performances can be just as fun, if not more fun, than a Baylor football game. Tickets for “Mnemonic” are on sale right now, and the play takes place at 7:30 p.m. on April 2-6 and at 2 p.m. on April 6-7. Tickets for “Bad Liar” go on sale on April 15.
7. Attend a multicultural event for an organization you are not part of.
Baylor is home to more than 40 multicultural organizations, and there is almost always something going on in the Bill Daniel Student Center or on Fountain Mall. Step out of your comfort zone and get to know students who come from a different culture than you. A full calendar of events can be found on the Department of Multicultural Affairs website.
8. Play a game of capture-the-flag (or Frisbee golf, or hide-and-go-seek) around campus with a big group of friends.
Ideally, you’d need a dozen or so people to play any of these games, but aside from getting everyone together, there’s not much planning necessary.
9. Take your favorite professor out to lunch.
Nearly every student can say that they have at least one professor that made a notable impact on them during their time at Baylor. Invite them to Penland Crossroads if you’re balling on a budget, or the Baylor Club if you’re feeling fancy, and make sure to let them know how much you appreciate their role in your life. If you can’t afford a lunch, or maybe don’t have that kind of relationship with the professor, send them a handwritten thank you note.
10. Grab some friends and go fountain hopping.
Students who attend Baylor Line Camp take part in this campus tradition before they’re even technically real freshmen. If you were a Line camper, use this as a chance to re-connect with the people you met that summer, and if you didn’t make it to Line Camp, now is your last chance to enjoy the various fountains around campus.
