Leap List #1 — Senior Year of College

In the months leading up to my college graduation, I hope to cross some things off my to-do list that I won’t be as free to do when I have a full-time career. This list of items is called a “Leap List” and if you want more insight on what that is, you can check it out here. This list will change and evolve as I complete the tasks on it and add more. Bold is completed (and may be a hyperlink to a related blog post). Italic is in progress.

• Dye my hair an unrealistic color, one last time.
• Make a road trip to somewhere I’ve never been before, for the simple sake of having fun.
• Pay off my car.
• Attend one last home Cubs game as an Illinois resident.
• Go for a long float on the river with some intertubes, some coolers, and a big group of friends.
• Have one nice night out with friends…the kind where the girls dress fancy and the guys wear suits.
• Write thank you cards to the professors that have had the biggest impact on me.

As I continue to cross off items on this list and add more, I’ll be blogging about the progress. I know I might not get everything that ends up on the list, but the journey to completion is what matters, not the actual number of items crossed off. Hopefully as my life progresses, I’ll have chances to write and fulfill more leap lists!

Leap List #2 — Kansas City

I’ve adopted the mantra that my future is a blank canvas. Because people tend to make many life changes in their first several years out of college, I’m going to commit to try and make the most of whatever cities I live in in. Kansas City is home now, but I am also in a very exciting chapter of my life where I am learning to spread my wings. So, here’s a list of things to enjoy in Kansas City. If I stay here for the rest of my life, awesome. If I ever move away, I’ll know that I made the most of it.

• Party at the Power & Light District. (I may have done it once, but that doesn’t mean I won’t do it again.)
• Tailgate at a Chief’s game. (Tentatively set for October.)
• Roadtrip to St. Louis to see another Cubs vs. Cardinals game there.
• Learn how to two-step. (I’ve two-stepped a few times but obviously I’ll need more practice.)
• Eat at at LEAST 5 iconic Kansas City barbecue places. (I’ve already been to Oklahoma Joe’s.)
• Spend a few hours at the Nelson Atkins art museum.
• Have a night out at one of the riverboat casinos. (There will be much more of this!)
• Go to some sort of event at the Sprint Center.
• Go to a few Royals games. (Again, there will be more of these in my future!)
• Go to a Sporting KC soccer game.
• Go to The Jones, maybe spend an afternoon by the pool.
• Go to some sort of event at the Kauffman Center of the Performing Arts.
• Attend a rodeo and at least five different livestock shows at the American Royal, as well as any other community events that tickle my fancy.
• Go to the Kansas City Zoo.
• Start an eating disorder support group in downtown Kansas City.