50 things to do
before you graduate
- Cheer on the Black Bears in the student section at a hockey game
- Participate in Maine Hello
- Go to Buff Chick Night at York Dining
- Volunteer during Maine Day
- Tailgate at the Homecoming football game
- Visit Fogler Library — all three floors
- Play in the snow on the Mall
- Visit Acadia National Park
- Take a photo with Bananas, UMaine’s black bear mascot
- Join a club, intramural sport, or student group
- Ski Sugarloaf and attend events there
- Say yes to everything your first year
- Go to a Waterfront Concert in Bangor
- Attend a therapy dog event in Fogler
- Sing the “Maine Stein Song” at an athletic event
- Attend the Involvement Fair the first week of classes
- Attend the Student Symposium
- Watch a drone show on campus
- Attend the fall festival
- Take a Maine Hockey bus trip
- Visit the Versant Power Astronomy Center and watch a planetarium show
- Support the arts: Attend a School of Performing Arts performance; go to an art opening at Lord Hall Gallery; watch the Dance Showcase, and more!
- Attend Mr. Fraternity
- See a show at the Collins Center for the Arts using your two free tickets each semester
- Volunteer at a UMaine event
- Go to UMaine Wednesdays for a free movie at Black Bear Cinemas
- Sit under a tree on the Mall
- Buy fresh at the Orono Farmers Market
- Go to a UNH v UMaine hockey game
- Visit the Roger Clapp Greenhouses
- Get a UMaine stein
- Have a picnic with your friends
- Explore downtown Orono
- Go to a community dinner at the Wilson Center
- Visit the Paul Bunyan statue in Bangor
- Grab a slice at Pat’s Pizza
- Explore Maine Bound: Go on a trip; climb the rock wall; rent equipment
- Visit the New Balance Student Recreation Center: Take a free class; sit in the sauna; try the ropes course
- Swim or float down the Stillwater River in an inner tube, paddleboard, kayak, or canoe
- Wear your L.L.Bean Boots
- Take a weekend trip to Canada
- Visit downtown Bangor; explore the UMaine Museum of Art for free; participate in the Bangor Artwalk
- Walk in the University Forest
- Visit Baxter State Park and hike Mount Katahdin
- Drive by Stephen King’s house
In spring 2017, 23 seniors in a 400-level communication course undertook a capstone project in collaboration with UMaine’s Division of Marketing and Communications. The project, “50 Things to Do Before You Graduate from the University of Maine,” is a UMaine bucket list for students by students. Led by Associate Professor of Communication and Journalism Claire Sullivan, the undergraduates in the class conducted in-person interviews with 286 UMaine students in different majors and years in school to get their input to compile the list of 50 must-do activities and places to see. A news release about the project is online.
Editor’s note: Updates made Aug. 21, 2026.
