On October 24th Dr. Kardas attended the 2024 Hunger Summit along with three honors students. The three students gave a presentation on surveys given to fellow SAU students regarding food option preferences on campus.
When I was told to come up with a bucket list my mind went blank. Growing up I would always hear about people's bucket lists on TV and social media. I would never hear that people I know in real life have one.
The first thing on my bucket list is traveling to all seven continents. My first time traveling on a airplane was on a family trip to Florida when was in the 10th grade. Ever since then I’ve loved traveling by airplane. Also, learning about the different cultures around the world and their traditions would be pretty fascinating.
Being a business owner has always been a dream of mine. I would really like to open up a Beauty Shop because hairdressing has always been a passion of mine. I’ve been doing hair since I was little, but I didn’t start doing others hair and having clients until I was in the 10th grade. In Black culture the beauty shop is a place where we can vent, laugh, cry, and connect with other people all through hair.
Getting my doctoral degree in music has recently been something added to my bucket list. Music has been in my life since I was born. My whole family sings and plays instruments. Music has always been something that I gravitated to more than anything else. Music is healing in a way, when you don’t have the words you have music, the sounds, the lyrics, the way the music makes you feel. Being able to teach others the ins and outs of music and being able to connect with them is important to me.
Ever since I was little I’ve always had big dreams and aspirations; I have accomplished many of them. Hopefully, I can push myself to cross more things off of my bucket list in the next ten years. To many it might seem impossible and intimidating but I love a good challenge.
Right now as a college student, I can go on and on about things I hope to do one day, but all of it seems so far when my main goal at the moment is to get through these next few years and earn a diploma.
I know it may seem pretty basic, but my main item on my bucket list right now is get through college. I don't even have a specific goal then because I'm still torn between whether I am going to get a Bachelors or Masters Degree. The only thing I am certain of when it comes to my "things-to-do" is I am going to graduate with a degree in Accounting.
Obviously, I have things I want to do once I have the money for it, and that's more like what you would want to hear about, so here it is... For one, I want to go sky-diving. I have always loved rollercoasters and thrilling rides growing up. I'm not sure if its the adrenaline or the rush of everything, but I've always found it fun.
Another thing I would love to do is bungy jump off a bridge and ziplining. I love the feeling of free-falling, or "flying", and having the wind blow against me.
Traveling is also something on my list. Not exactly sure where I would go, but the idea of visiting a new country, or even state, sounds exciting. Getting to know more cultures and how things are ran, its intriguing.
So, although my bucket list may not be as exciting or detailed as other peoples, there are still some pretty cool things I'd like to do one day.
Ever since I could hold a pencil, I have made it my mission to put it to paper. Growing up, I drew and wrote practically nonstop, filling notebook after notebook with all manner of characters and creatures, dotting assignments with haphazard doodles, and scribbling barely coherent notes on the backs of printer paper.
I enjoyed learning. I enjoyed science and history and math (sometimes, anyway). I enjoyed reading, and writing, and many times I felt as if I was the only one who did (in a sea of students complaining about essays and English homework).
As I got older, I put my creativity to use: I wrote award winning poetry, had my art published in books, and won awards for acting and design. I even won first in state for my set design in UIL Theatrical Design last year. The feeling of accomplishment and pride is one that I will never forget.
I have always wanted to create. It is a passion that has shaped every decision I have ever made. Now I even get paid for it (only occasionally; I have to eat somehow), but I still create purely for fun as well. I’m currently writing a book, which I hope to eventually publish.
My goal, not only as a writer and an artist, but also as a person, is to make a mark. I want to do something valuable with my time, my talent, and with my skills that I have worked hard to hone. I would like to do at least one great thing, something that has a lasting impact on the world. My hope is that college will help me do that, which is why I’m here.
In the future I plan to be a physician's assistant but there are many goals I wish to achieve in the meantime.
I would like to hike to the top of a mountain, preferably a mountain that has little threat of death, injury, or trauma.
I want to successfully nurture a plant to adulthood. This is very big because I struggle to keep plants of any variety alive longer than a few weeks.
I want to see a shooting star and the Northern Lights occur at the same time. I can hardly imagine how beautiful that rare sight would be.
I would also like to travel as far north as legally possible. How cool would it be to walk around and explore the white vastness that is the Arctic?
I want to travel overseas to New Zealand and learn about the Māori people. This means I would also have to face my fear of large bodies of water which is also on my bucket list.
I want to become fluent in a popular language such as Spanish or Korean. Having both of these languages under my belt would not only be really cool, but it would be advantageous in my career field to be able to communicate with people outside my culture.
I want to have my own moment in pop culture and become a microcelebrity that people randomly think about from time to time. It doesn’t have to be anything super impactful, but I really want to have a little sample of fame. I would like to meet Beyoncé before she officially retires from the music industry completely. I’ve loved her since I was a small child sitting in the back seat of my mother’s car screaming along to her songs at the top of my lungs and meeting her would literally change the trajectory of my life.
I want to sing for an audience and receive a standing ovation. Singing is a big passion of mine and being shown appreciation for my voice would be so amazing.
Hopefully, I can achieve it all before I kick the bucket.
In 2024 I hope to improve on my habits that I struggled with in high school. Whether that be procrastination, lack of discipline, or just the willpower to make myself do an assignment.
I hope to finish this first semester of my college career with A’s in every class. While I do intend on focusing on school work I'd also like to develop bonds with new people and pursue new opportunities.
I want to set a strict diet and stick to it. Along with this diet I'd like to continue working with my personal trainer.
All in all I just want to have a positive, successful first year in a new environment. I want to lay the foundation for my future school years to come.
I don’t think I have ever sat down and made a list of things I want to do in the future as I never thought I would make it to the future. I don’t know what I thought was going to happen, maybe I had secret knowledge about a zombie apocalypse that I wouldn’t survive, but I never made any decisions for future me. Now I am pretty set on having a future and am excited to have goals and a plan for what I want to do with my life.
My first item on my bucket list is to travel outside of the country, preferably Italy, but honestly wherever is cheapest. I haven’t been to a lot of places in my life and never outside of the U.S, so getting to see more of the world would be amazing. I love learning about different people and cultures, and getting to see and learn in person would be phenomenal.
The next item on my bucket list is to successfully make a project to improve my community. I say successfully because I have planned projects before to help out, but they never went anywhere. I believe if I can just get more experience I will actually make a successful project.
In the same vein, I really want to finish a larger scale creative project, such as a short film, book, or comic book. Again, I have started creating lot of things, but just never finished them. I would like to have finished something big and creative. I probably wouldn’t even share it anywhere, just finish it to prove to myself that I can and that I can follow through on plans I have made.
Another thing on my bucket list that is significantly lamer is to go to a fancy restaurant, I just want to see how much better the food would be.
I have put some thought into a bucket list since one of my friends recommended that I make one. I love the idea of a bucket list since it's a good way to really think about your aspirations and goals, and one of the main things I want to achieve in life is to be worry free.
There is always something happening in my life and I am always dreaming of coming back to a more relaxed time like when I was younger. Back then, I had fewer responsibilities and no heavy expectations. Now, I will be working the hardest I can to achieve my other dream: being a well respected actor and performer. Pursuing college is helping me work my way to cross this part of my bucket list off by bettering my skills and abilities. I also hope that this preparation of work will help me achieve my first goal sooner rather than later near the end of my life.
Another goal of mine is to find someone I can spend the rest of my life with. I want to be able to share our experiences and knowledge and always have the reassurance that I always have someone that cares for me and vice versa. I love people and it's so nice to be able to really know and be with someone and it takes a lot of worries away for me. I know it's a lot of work and I will have to put a lot of effort into this too but I believe all three of these goals are all worth it to make my life the best experience for me.
Since I was in middle school, I never truly had the idea of making it to my 18th birthday or college. As the years went by, not once did I ever think about making it to college. I found tennis and started playing when I started high school, I did play on and off as I did struggle with a weak mentality and couldn’t handle the pressure sometimes.
When I got to my senior year, we had the opportunity to watch live professional tennis matches at a country club in Houston. When we got there my favorite tennis player, Ben Shelton, was already playing and I was amazed on how tall he was, his ability to keep up with his opponent, and how skilled of a player he was. When he was done playing, he and his opponent had to walk back to his building to rest. The crowd and I were waiting outside trying to take pictures and autographs. I managed to get a picture with him and it is in my room, framed. After that day of watching live tennis matches, I told myself that I wanted to keep doing that.
I plan to travel abroad sometime during the summer 2026 when they begin hosting the ATP tours, but I will at least ONE time be able to attend any US Open matches. I plan on playing tennis and to play in UTR tournaments when I go back home during the winter. Since seeing those live tennis matches, I want to continue playing and enjoy the game. After seeing players interviewed and how they talk about the feeling of playing the game, I want to be able to also experience that.
Since I was young, I have always loved traveling, but I have never been out of the country. I would love to travel to at least two different countries before I graduate. I would also like to try more food and drinks from different countries. Especially from countries such as Jamaica, Holland, and Germany. Along with this I would also like to learn more about these cultures in general.
I would also like to spend more time in nature and see more sunrises. I have seen lots of sunsets but not as many sunrises. I would also like to read more books. I really enjoy reading but I don’t do it as often as I would like to. Something else I would like to do is work a bit more; I currently work as a CNA in a nursing home, and I love what I do and connecting with all the residents.
Writing is my passion. It always has been, and it always will be. Inspiration ignites like sparks when I open my laptop and write on Google Docs. The words that I key seem like they come to life, and I can't help but imagine what's going on right in front of me. When I read, it's like watching a movie with my own two eyes.
When I graduate, I plan to become an editor/author. More specifically, I wish to write short stories, novels, plays, and other types. I am also open to writing articles for news outlets. I also like looking at and revising people's work!
During college, one of my main goals is to become a writing consultant. Helping other students while also doing what I love is like a dream to me. More than that, I want to go to Universal Studios to see the Harry Potter side of the park. Harry Potter always has been a source of inspiration. The dragons, the wands, the potions, the cloaks, the scenery surrounding me... what would be a better place than that? The magic is right in front of me! Literally!
I hope to be able to write like some of my favorite authors such as Tricia Levenseller and Jenna Moreci. While my writing is more flowery and detailed, theirs is simpler and easier to read. They still leave room for imagination. Throughout and after college, my ultimate goal is to improve my writing skills, to simplify my writing and avoid unnecessary details.
Though I have never written out a bucket list, I have had many thoughts over the years about what I would like to do before I “kick the bucket”. My biggest goal for now is to graduate college with a bachelor’s degree in vocal music education.
After, I hope to continue on to find a job somewhere in a loving, safe community teaching high school choir. I also hope that somewhere in the mix, I find a loving and caring partner to spend my life with. One day I hope to have a big wedding with all of my friends, family and loved ones. One of my biggest dreams is to wear a big princess ball gown at my wedding to symbolize the end of my girlhood.
I hope to travel to France, Italy, Switzerland, Thailand, Japan, England, and Scotland with my partner, family, or friends. (Not all at the same time of course!) Children have always been a dream of mine. I would like to have at least two or three. I hope to live long enough to have grandkids as well. Overall, the biggest thing on my bucket list is to enjoy life, have fun, and inspire people along the way.
My number one bucket list priority is to become a general dentist. I had thoughts of pursuing dentistry my sophomore year of high school but those never solidified it until my senior year. It’s about being able to perform different procedures, the environment, and the sound of the drill that just fascinates me. I am a first generation college student, so it motivates me to become the first doctor in my family.
Becoming fluent in Spanish has been my lifelong dream. It'll officially be my third language that I can speak to help my future patients. I believe my pronunciation is already good, I just lack practice with other Spanish speakers. A downside is that I get motivated to learn Spanish, then stop completely. Hopefully, I will find the time to dedicate towards that goal again.
I would like to travel to other parts of the USA as well as to Montreal, London, Seoul, Paris, and Saigon. Traveling gives me a sense of peace. There’s a lot of beautiful scenery out there that I want to lay my eyes on. I also want to bring back lots of souvenirs from those places and try their cultural cuisines. Those are the types of experiences I like.
In late 2017, I self-taught myself modern calligraphy. In high school, I wanted to be able to do more than just that, so I learned how to do Chicano script lettering. A side job that I want to pursue is becoming a tattoo artist and opening up my own place, specifically for lettering. I’m not the best, but decent at it. The process of lettering takes a while, but it’s very satisfying. If not a shop, I at least want to get a tattoo on somebody.
