e-TrueBlue: Seniors

Current Issue

Advice for Class of 2006

e-TrueBlue: Seniors is an e-newsletter that brings you important graduation information and tips on making your last year a little easier. You'll be updated on important dates and events on a biweekly basis. e-TrueBlue: Seniors is sent automatically to seniors attending the U-M.

Things to Do Before You Graduate
The countdown to graduation has begun—and you don't want to leave Ann Arbor without doing all those things you always talked about. We'll make sure you don't miss out on any Michigan traditions. Below is a list of items featured in e-TrueBlue: Seniors of one or two things you "must do" before you leave the U-M, including traditions, cool activities and can't-miss hangouts.

08.27.07

If you haven't been to the Wave Field on North Campus, check it out! It's a sculpture in the courtyard on the southeast side of the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Building made entirely of earth and grass. Created by artist Maya Lin in 1995, it's a playful work of art you can run up, over and through with your friends.

09.04.07

If you love to watch the Michigan Marching Band perform at half-time, don’t miss its pre-game performance as it marches to The Big House. First, watch the Michigan Drumline perform on the steps of Revelli Hall about 90 minutes before kickoff. Following the show, the Michigan Marching Band lines up and begins parading to the stadium down Hoover Street and then onto Greene Street, eventually stopping in the Michigan Stadium parking lot to perform “The Victors.”

09.17.07

Ever gone canoeing on Ann Arbor's Huron River? Get a group of buddies and head out to Gallup Park. Gallup Park is located on Fuller Road and features canoe, kayak, pedal boat, rowboat and bicycle rentals. The park also includes an asphalt trail, fishing, picnic shelters and nature areas. For more information, visit the Gallup Park Web site.

10.01.07
Order a copy of the yearbook, the Michiganensian. The publication has been published for over a century and, in the last decade, has won numerous honors and awards. It costs $68 and can be charged to your student account. In case you were wondering, the name Michiganensian is something of a mystery, although some say that it means "one who hails to Michigan." It could also be derived from the word "ensign," which is a scribe, one who records events in history.

10.22.07
When was the last time you looked at the stars? For an up-close and cloud-free view of the stars, visit U-M's Exhibit Museum of Natural History to see a show at the planetarium. The cost is $3.75 per person, and different shows are offered throughout the year.

11.05.07

With Thanksgiving coming up, why not consider volunteering to help those in need? You can find a variety of volunteer opportunities at www.volunteermatch.org. Take some time to give something back. Not only will volunteering benefit others, but it will also help build your résumé as the job search continues.

11.19.07

If you haven't been to a University Musical Society performance before, now is the time to go! The UMS Choral Union and Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra return the first weekend in December to Hill Auditorium for the annual performance of Handel's "Messiah." The UMS Choral Union has been performing "Messiah" annually since the UMS's founding in 1879.

12.3.07

With final exams just around the corner, a break from studying can help. A “cool” place to hang out with a group of friends is Yost Ice Arena for public skates. Times are available throughout the week. The regular price for students is $3, and skate rental is $2. For noon skates, admission is $2 and rental is $1. For more information, visit the Yost Ice Arena Web site.

01.07.08
Head on over to Sid's Bagel Fragel Inc. and order a fragel, the beloved deep-fried friend of the bagel. Sid's Bagel Fragel, Inc., previously located in East Lansing, moved to Ann Arbor in 2001. It is located at 1754 Plymouth Road, near North Campus.

01.21.08

Many people meet their special someone in college–and if you haven't, you still might before Valentine’s Day or graduation. An old campus myth says that if you kiss someone under the West Hall Arch, also known as the Old Engin Arch, the two of you are destined to get married. So grab your crush and smooch.

02.04.08

If you haven't been to the Blind Pig, Ann Arbor's historic nightclub and concert venue, make sure you check it out before you leave town. Located at 208 S. First St., the club features live music almost every night. You never know what act at the Pig could hit it big next—the venue has hosted such famous performers as Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix and REM early in their careers. 

02.18.08

You’ve gone past the Michigan Theater on Liberty Street countless times, but have you ever been inside? The price of admission for a movie or concert is worth it just to experience the historic décor and the excellent acoustics. The sweeping staircase in the main lobby looks like a movie set for a ritzy party with tuxedos and jewels, and the 1927 Barton Theatre Pipe Organ in the Historic Auditorium is a throwback to the room’s origins in the age of silent films. Don’t miss the real gold leaf or the real butter on the popcorn.

03.03.08

Been a while since you went to North Campus? It’s worth the trip. Go to the Walgreen Drama Center and Arthur Miller Theatre, or study in the Duderstadt instead of in the Hatcher or Shapiro libraries. The campus, which boasts 800 acres of rolling hills and mature trees, is home to the College of Engineering, the School of Music, the School of Art and Design and the Gerald R. Ford Library, among others.

03.17.08

If you have something to say or just haven’t spray-painted anything since that high school homecoming float, make your mark on the Rock in the middle of the night. Painting this huge chunk of Canadian limestone at the corner of Washtenaw Avenue and Hill Street is a Michigan tradition, and every passing car will see what you had to share at 4 a.m. So throw on some old clothes, pick up some supplies and a few friends, and get your creative juices flowing to take part in this custom. Be sure to bring a camera!

03.31.08

The famous myth that’s kept so many students from walking on the Block “M” in the Diag—that stepping on it will cause you to fail your first blue book exam—won’t apply to you soon! Now that you’re graduating, be sure to give it a good stomp before you leave Michigan.

4.14.08

If you haven't been to Nichols Arboretum, affectionately known as the Arb, what are you waiting for? Take an afternoon off to walk through, picnic at or play Frisbee in the U-M's 123-acre "living museum." It's a U-M tradition!

4.21.08

Here's a tradition you'll want to complete upon graduation. Your orientation leader probably led you through the Cooley Fountain (located near the Bell Tower) for good luck. Now, it's time to complete the tradition-after commencement, make sure you walk through the fountain one last time. This time, though, face Rackham to signal that you're leaving the University.