Every so often, we here at The Maroon-News publish a list of things that we feel are awesome. While these lists are typically fun-spirited and a little arbitrary, I’d like to use my last article for the paper to create my own short list of things that I’ve found to be awesome in my four years here.

Exploring Colgate and its surroundings. Not only is the campus itself beautiful, but the land around it is even more gorgeous. Take a hike on the trails by the old ski hill or drive a few miles in any direction away from campus. Get a little bit lost. There is so much more to Hamilton, N.Y. than we think. A great way of taking advantage of this is through…

Outdoor Education trips. I completely regret not taking advantage of the OE program until my senior year. It’s fun and unique and you’ll probably meet people you’ve never

encountered before, which is always great on a campus that feels as small as ours does.

Doing things because they interest you. For whatever reason, people these days are so focused on doing things for their resumes. I can almost guarantee that you’ll be happier if you spend less time focused on what looks good on paper and what makes you happy. Chances are, taking a course in a subject you love or joining a group solely because you’re passionate about it will be more fulfilling – and might even lead you to a career you’ll love.

Byrne Dairy milkshakes. I’m serious. I have no idea why, but it seems that few people know you can get a milkshake at Byrne Dairy. They’re delicious (and less expensive than shakes elsewhere in town).

Getting involved. I cannot stress this enough. Sign up for everything that sparks your interest; you can whittle this list down after attending initial meetings. That being said, go to the meetings. Who knows who you’ll get to meet and what you can become a part of. Test the waters and find your niche.

Free food is everywhere on campus. Not only are there weekly brown bags where you get to eat good food and learn about something, but most departments stock their student lounges with muffins and coffee on certain days of the week. Figure these days out and you will never go hungry again.

Staying in on a Saturday night. Or a Friday night. Or the whole weekend. Seriously, if it makes you happier to stay in than it does to go out, then who cares what other people think? Even if it doesn’t necessarily make you happiest to stay in or, like many Colgate students, it causes you enormous FOMO (fear of missing out), it really is a healthy alternative. Besides, you never know if your ideal night involves Banagrams and chocolate milk until you try it.

Actually getting sleep is a beautiful thing; it also goes along with my previous awesome thing of staying in. Colgate happens at a breakneck pace. Most of us have class, do work, go out, rinse and repeat, in rapid succession.

This leaves very little time to catch up on relaxing, let alone lying down for a little bit. Learn to value naps and take them as often as you can. Cherish mornings when you can sleep in. You’ll find yourself happier, healthier and more engaged in what you do.

That being said…

Waking up early has its perks as well. There’s something kind of magical about Hamilton when everyone else is asleep. We’re so used to a teeming campus, when there’s nobody around it creates an almost foreign landscape. Grab a coffee and use early morning hours as an escape from the typical nonstop routine of Colgate. It is during this time that you might appreciate the school most.

Contact Emily Kress at [email protected].