THE VILLA BUCKET LIST:
The unknown Villa Bucket List (because I created it) of things you have to do while being a VJMHS student:
- Catherine Messina ‘14
The unknown Villa Bucket List (because I created it) of things you have to do while being a VJMHS student:
- Buy lunch! (Pick a day: they are all good.) Maybe even work lunch (you get free lunches, and it's actually really fun).
- So once you have bought lunch once and are addicted: try every meal of Dave’s at least once.
- Join a big club like CSC or International Club (since I am on the Executive Board of both, they are my pride and joy), and join a small club like Art Club or the Student Bloggers. Different feels and you get to meet new people.
- Go to Sarnelli House at least once.
- Go to Twining Village at least once.
- Go on Urban Challenge Retreat.
- If it is at all possible for you to attend the European Trip, you should attend. Really, it changed my life.
- Eat a lot of cookies—get a Villa cake.
- Try to make your ideas happen.
- Join a sport, even if you are not competitive in the slightest.
- Be a leader: lead a club, lead Vespers, lead a Retreat, lead them all.
- Go see or be a part of what my friends and I call "dinner and a show" (the Spaghetti Dinner and the Talent Show, for example, or go out to dinner and then come see the play, or do both).
- Go to a White-Out game or dance and don’t be afraid to paint your face.
- Play in Chicks with Sticks.
- Hit up NYC with your pals on Villa’s NYC Trip (seriously, I’m so mad that I didn’t take advantage of this experience until this year).
- Go on the Slip and Slide at Spring Spirit Day multiple times; bring your favorite teacher.
- Try out skiing or snowboarding on the Ski Trip.
- Take lots of pictures...this only happens once.
- If you don’t want to be on Student Council (but you should), try to fill in for someone one day. It is actually so much fun to run something behind the scenes, especially working the Haunted House at the Harvest Dance!
- Try to get through the Haunted House without screaming.
- Make a legacy. (I’d like to say mine ranges from selling out of two boxes of candy in the NHS Candy Sales with my friend in less than six periods in one day, to reinstituting the Old Bay Seasoning at lunch.)
- Don’t always come in at 7:55 a.m., and leave at 2:47 p.m. So many fun things and conversations happen before and after school.
- Work the Auction once. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
- While at the Auction, convince your dad and have your friend convince her father to pool together and win something (for example, the VJMHS Sleepover or Dessert of the Month).
- While at Vespers in Senior Year, always be on #teamnosleep. (You can sleep when you graduate.)
- Listen to your Senior song on the way to school each morning.
- Put pictures on your Weekly Words (it’s a thing).
- Visit Guidance -- they rock, AND they have candy.
- Jump in the pool on the last day in your uniform. There is no other option.
- Tell everyone you love them.
- Go to sports games.
- Go crazy at Mini-THON.
- Go crazy during Spirit Week.
- Hit up the couches in the Student Lounge.
- Follow the theme for one of the formals or proms (I’m so content I wore a flapper dress to our '20s-themed formal this year).
- Enjoy a sleepover on a school night (I am clearly such a rebel).
- When all the AP Sciences have a free last (if you go this route), go get ice cream together.
- Don’t do your hair.
- One day, do your hair if you’re feeling it.
- If there is a photo booth at an event, go enjoy.
- Be open and make friends in the other grades.
- Please, decorate your name tags.
- Get very involved in the review games you play: give everything your all.
- Decorate someone’s locker for their birthday.
- It’s fun to sing in the hallways.
- Get in on a promposal, breaking the norm project, anything… have fun!
- Fall in love with a class—be a nerd.
- Fall in love with the people—hold hands, do you?
- Be a Jem.
- Wake up each day ready to start again—no days to waste.
- Catherine Messina ‘14