123 things every Penn student should do before they graduate

A running list of Penn canon

The Ben Franklin statue decked out for fall. / Photo credit: Jennifer Mesa

By: The Editorial Board

Penn is well known for its status as the “Social Ivy,” the title from which this section got its eponymous name. However, fully partaking in the “work hard, play hard” lifestyle means a lot more than just cooping yourself up for long hours in the library before hitting a sweaty frat party on the weekend. To help you make the most of your Penn experience, we have compiled a long list of things we think every student should do during their time in the City of Brotherly Love. And, as always, if you have any thoughts as you work your way through our list, feel free to send us your social commentary to publish.

1. Attend a Penn Basketball game inside The Palestra.
2. Spend a sunny day at the BioPond. 
3. Visit the Philadelphia Art Museum.
4. Have a coffee chat in Stommons. 
5. Eat a dairy night at Falk at Penn Hillel. 
6. Sneak onto the roof of the Quad. 
7. Run up the Rocky steps. 
8. Pee on Ben Franklin. 
9. Get told by a frat brother to take a lap. 
10. Party at Magic Gardens.
11. Ok, but also go to the actual Magic Gardens. 
12. Take a class with Adam Grant. 
13. Pet some dogs in Clark Park. 
14. Go to Smokes’ Sink or Swim.
15. Watch the sunrise at Cira Green.
16. Darty on St. Patrick’s Day.
17. Trip on a fallen leaf (ideally in front of Huntsman or a sceney spot) during autumn.
18. Throw toast at a football game at Franklin Field.

19. Snag a picture with the Quaker. 
20. Take the trolley to Center City. 
21. Learn “The Red and Blue.”
22. Adopt the Penn lingo. No spoilers. You’ll learn soon enough. 
23. Attend a Mask and Wig show at the Mask and Wig Club.
24. Take your parents out to Louie Louie. 
25. Laugh your socks off at a Bloomers show.
26. Go to every Spring Fling event. 
27. This includes attending the Quadramics theatre group’s Spring Fling midnight show.
28. Walk around The Compass.
29. Eventually stop walking around The Compass. 
30. Get colorful at Holi. 
31. See the fraternity lights on Locust during the holiday season. 
32. SABS in front of Arch.
33. Eat up during Philly’s restaurant week. 
34. Avoid introducing yourself by your major in every conversation with people you meet.
35. Dance in a sweaty mosh pit and lose a little dignity during the night. 
36. Go to one of the SPEC events in Irvine. 
37. Check out the Liberty Bell.
38. Ask out your class crush.
39. See a Penn a cappella/dance show. 
40. Try anything with zahar at Mannakeesh. 
41. Take a famous Penn class, such as Grit Lab, Existential Despair, or Negotiations.
42. Meet that one phenomenal professor you will talk about for the rest of your life. 
43. Sip a Pret coffee with your friends at the blue tables in front of Huntsman. 
44. Find a spot on campus to print for free. You won’t regret this one. 
45. Cry in a fraternity house and Van Pelt. (work hard play hard, friends)
46. Witness an all-parties political debate, ideally during an election year. 
47. Go to Kiwi to burn off steam after a bad exam or test. 
48. Eat a slice of Allegro’s at 2 a.m. 
49. Go to a professor’s house. Business or pleasure. 
50. Attend the annual Econ Scream. 
51. Find the Ivy Day plaque for your class year. 
52. Dress up for a downtown. 
53. Take a cooking class at Quaker Kitchen.
54. Attend as many Feb Club events in your senior year as possible!
55. Drink happy hour margaritas and stuff your face with nachos at Copa. 
56. Run into and awkwardly wave at someone you hooked up with — bonus points if it’s on the Locust bridge. 
57. Sit in on an impossibly hard lecture. 
58. Sign someone’s hat on Hey Day!
59. Sing your heart out at a Ken’s karaoke night.
60. Watch a Phillies game and eat a hotdog. 
61. Join a club. Or two. Or a few. Or way too many to handle. 
62. Take a class in all four schools. 
63. Spend a summer working and living in Philadelphia. 
64. Travel for a class. (Ask upperclassmen how this works). 
65. Attend or perform at a Kelly Writers House Open Mic Night. 
66. Learn how to dance at an Onda workshop.
67. Party at Elmo’s late night. 
68. Go on a drunken first date at Charlie Was a Sinner. 
69. Become friends with the security guards around campus. 
70. Cheer on Philly at a 76ers game. 

71. Do research. Bonus points if it’s in one of Penn’s labs. 
72. Run home from a frat in a torrential downpour or snow. In a crop top. (Or tee). Without a coat. 
73. Venture to Center City for a Philly sports celebration. 
74. Try to make coffee with one of the machines in Van Pelt’s basement. Just see what happens. 
75. Become friends with someone who doesn’t go to Penn in Philly. You can do it. 
76. Ask a senior who Amy Guttman was. 
77. Ask anyone who is not a freshman who Liz Magill was.
78. Fill out the Penn Marriage Pact.
79. And meet your Penn Marriage Pact partner in-person. 
80. Join a senior society. 
81. Or try to join a senior society.
82. Win at New Deck quizzo. 
83. Support student-run businesses on campus, such as Williams Cafe. 
84. Then, get 10-punches on your loyalty card from Williams Cafe. 
85. Walk down South Street. 
86. Feed a squirrel. 
87. Explore the Quad tunnels. 
88. Take a day trip to New York City. 
89. Take a day trip to Washington D.C..
90. Go viral on Sidechat. 
91. Hang out in a hammock on High Rise Field. Maybe add a frisbee or a speaker. 
92. See the Philly skyline turn Eagle’s colors.
93. Snag a spot at VP’s Shakespeare Library on the 6th floor.
94. Bring your hometown friends to Philly.
95. Visit one of your Penn friends at their home. 
96. Find out what is under the Button. 
97. Enjoy a nighttime stroll down Locust Walk. 
98. Take a stab at student journalism. (Soft plug). 
99. Check out Penn’s stand-up comedy scene and sit front-row at a show. 
100. Finally learn how to pronounce “Schuylkill.”
101. Pull an all-nighter in the Van Pelt basement during finals week.
102. Book a group study room (GSR). 
103. Ask your friend in Wharton to book you a GSR in Huntsman.
104. Kick someone out of a GSR. 
105. Get kicked out of a GSR because you didn’t realize what time it was.
106. Watch Olympians compete at Penn Relays. 
107. Visit Pat’s and Geno’s and decide which one you like better. (Then go try the actual best cheesesteak in Philly: Delassandro’s)
108. See Kenn Kweder live. 

109. Eat dinner at Smoke’s at least once.
110. Bring your parents to a darty during Family Weekend.
111. Get featured on the official @uofpenn instagram.
112. Pie someone (or get pied) for charity.
113. Swim at the outdoor pool in The Chestnut.
114. Have a snowball fight in the Quad.
115. Watch or compete in the Philly Marathon. 
116. Try each restaurant inside Franklin’s Table. 
117. Attend a date night for a club. 
118. Attend a date night for a fraternity or sorority. 
119. Buy Penn merch.
120. Wear said Penn merch. 
121. Take your final toast!
122. Enjoy it, seriously. Time flies. Before you know it, you’ll be graduating. 
123. Graduate. 

Written by The Editorial Board for the 2024-2025 Academic Year. Email us at
thepennsylvaniapost@gmail.com.