Bucket lists are a popular idea that has been around for ages, and high school is a great time to make one.
The Oxford definition of a bucket list is “a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime.” However, bucket lists are so much more than a to-do list. They are ways to create long-lasting memories, and a perfect opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and to grow as a person.
Not only does a bucket list act as a checklist for people to keep track of “must-do” activities, it can give students a sense of direction and help them establish goals on how to achieve whatever is on their list.
Some stereotypical bucket list ideas may include skydiving, getting a driver’s license or traveling to a new place. Still, there are some must-have things on many high schoolers’ bucket lists that every teenager should try before graduating. Some special Bay Area bucket list plans could include walking across the Golden Gate Bridge, visiting the beaches in Half Moon Bay or driving down to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. There are also dozens of events and destinations all around California and the United States.
NDB students can create their own bucket list with things to complete before or after graduation to make tons of memories and learn new things, all important aspects of stepping into adulthood after high school. Drawing and creating bucket lists on paper can be an especially creative way to write down plans for the future with friends and family.
![“I would say first thing is staying warm…keeping to a consistent sleep schedule because it's easy to start to want to fall asleep as soon as it gets dark and that just takes motivation out of otherwise, productive times of the day. I would say the biggest thing is [to] just be conscious of morale and motivation and why it's weighing, and [to] confront those challenges head on," History Teacher Jonathan Tomczak says on easing back into S2.](https://thendbcatalyst.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/unnamed.png)
