There are lots of requirements to fulfill before you earn a degree, but another important part of college is making it a stage in life you can look back on with fond memories. Here are ten suggestions for things that can help make your experience at UW-Milwaukee (UWM) memorable and rewarding.

1. Sign up on Facebook.com. This free website will help you stay in touch with all of your classmates at UWM as well as students from other schools.
2. Network with faculty and staff. Making solid connections with people on campus who work in your desired field will make life during and after college more enjoyable and can help lead to job opportunities. Visit faculty members you would like to get to know during their office hours, send them e-mails, and say “hi” if you see them on campus.
3. Talk to your crush. Is there a certain someone you look forward to seeing in class? Maybe they feel the same way about you, but if you never make an effort to get to know him or her, you will never know. Carpe diem!
4. Notice details on campus you may pass every day but ignore. There are sculptures, beautiful trees, and study areas all around campus, and the fountain between Mitchell Hall and the East Library that will be up and running again as soon as the weather warms.
5. Ride the bus. You have a UPASS, so use it. If you must drive your car to school or you walk or ride a bike, ride the bus for a people-watching adventure. The Milwaukee County Transit System is a true melting pot of personalities.
6. Participate in something on campus. Whether it’s a semester or longer commitment to a club or organization, or a one-day activity, get involved in one of the endless ways to be a part of the campus community. People often complain about UWM being a commuter school, and that it is hard to make friends here, but check out the student organizations list and event calendar. You will see that there are more ways to connect with other students than you can imagine.
7. Eat at a restaurant other than Taco Bell. Judging by the line outside this establishment, it seems many UWM students are following a Taco Bell diet, which is probably not a good thing. Try a wrap at Pacific Wraps, sushi at the Terrace Cafe, or better yet, venture off campus for Jimmy Johns, or 2 Sweet International Delight.
8. Re-learn how to look for traffic when crossing streets. The UWM campus seems to have adopted a “if there is a pedestrian in sight near a crosswalk, all traffic must stop” policy. This is great for students who run in front of cars while rushing to class, but please remember that in non-campus areas, running in front of cars will get you run over.
9. Take a sports and recreation class. Yoga or kickboxing classes somewhere else can cost you some big bucks, and the schedule offered will most likely conflict with one or more of your classes. UWM offers these classes and many others, like dance and martial arts, at no additional cost to full-time students and are worth at least one credit. Most of them are offered at numerous times throughout the week, so there should be one that fits your schedule.
10. Apply for jobs. Remember why you came to college in the first place? No, not because your family forced you to or because you wanted to get trashed four nights a week without severe judgment. Hopefully, you came to college to fulfill your career goals. So before you leave UWM, you may want to have a job lined up. At least throw one resume out there for kicks. You can not live in your parent’s basement forever.

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