Class of 2018, you are a few weeks away from starting your college career at Elon University! Congratulations!!! You're almost there.

If you are anything like I was, you're already looking up all the activities and clubs you want to hit up the second you step foot on campus. If you haven't already, you'll quickly find out that there is a lot going on at Elon. All. The. Time. As someone who has gone through freshman year (and loved every second), I've put together a bucket list of some of the events and opportunities you don't want to miss.

The Hypnotist

During your first week on campus, New Student Orientation brings in a hypnotist to perform for students. It's normally the night before classes start, so make sure you leave that night wide open. The best part? He hypnotizes students. That means your fellow peers are picked to do really bizarre, fun activities on stage in front of everyone. And if you aren't chosen to go on stage, that doesn't mean you won't have fun. It just means you can take pictures/videos of your fellow Phoenix on stage doing crazy things. What better way to secure a new friendship than taking hilarious videos of your new friends? NONE.

Go to Org Fair... and sign up for too many clubs

Whether you are interested in music, bowling, math, or business, Elon has a club for you. ELN mentioned this before in our other #Elon18 post, but Org Fair is the perfect way to get involved and meet new people on campus! It's a great opportunity to explore all the different clubs at Elon. And you get TONS of free stuff. Sunglasses, shirts, cups, candy, baked goods, etc. You name it. It's at Org Fair. And don't be afraid to sign up for too much! It is better to find a club you never expected to enjoy, than to totally miss out on the opportunity.

College Coffee

One of the oldest Elon traditions is College Coffee. Every Tuesday morning from 9:40 a.m. to 10:20 a.m., students and faculty meet on the Phi Beta Kappa Plaza for coffee and breakfast. It is seriously one of the best things Elon has to offer. One- there is always yummy, free food. Two- it's a great way to socialize with professors and other students. And three- each week, different organizations sponsor or have booths at College Coffee, so you can learn more about them and what they do. It is a great way to discover what is going on around campus.

Midnight Meals

On Thursday nights, the Student Union Board (SUB) sponsors Midnight Meals. Again, another fantastic opportunity for free food (If you haven't noticed, Elon is all about the free goodies!) But the coolest part about Midnight Meals is SUB will have different activities to take your mind off of your late night studying. From a cappella concerts, to Survivor Bingo to comedians, there is a little bit of everything. These aren't the only events SUB hosts: on Fridays, they have SUBLive, where they bring in a comedian or other entertainer to perform, and on Saturdays, they host a movie night.

Attend a Sporting Event

Go Phoenix! Whatever sport you are into, Elon has it on campus. There are 16 varsity sports, including football, basketball, lacrosse and volleyball. Over the last year, Elon has made improvements to student tailgating, so attending sporting events is better than ever. You can look on elonpheonix.com for each team's schedule. But there are more to sports at Elon than just varsity. Be sure to check out the club and intramural games as well!

Convocation

Twice a year, Elon brings big name speakers to campus for Convocation. Once in the fall and once in the spring, Elon students have the opportunity to go to these events for free. But be sure to get your tickets fast, because seats go quickly. Past speakers have included poet Maya Angelou, Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak and CBS "60 Minutes" correspondent Lara Logan.

Luminaries & Holiday Party

When the weather starts to get cold and finals start to creep up, a great break from all the stress is the Luminaries ceremony. Students, faculty and staff gather around Alamance in early December to see the campus lit up with bright lights. Everyone from the community comes out for the music and hot chocolate. Special guests include Santa and Mrs. Claus! Later in the month, President Leo Lambert hosts a holiday party at his house. The event is open to all students and everyone is welcome to take a photo with President Lambert that the university sends to your house for the holidays. An easy (and adorable) present for the family is a picture of you with President Lambert!

Cram Jam

We all know exams are tough. And everyone needs a break from the last minute studying, which is exactly what Cram Jam is for. The night before finals begin, close your books for a couple hours and relax with friends at this SUB sponsored event. The a capella groups perform, the faculty serves free food (President Leo Lambert is known to stop by) and there are tons of free prizes and activities. Bonus: there have been massages at Cram Jam. I repeat: during the most stressful time of the semester, there are FREE massages.

Support a Friend in the Arts

Elon constantly has performances, screenings, art shows, etc. You name it, it's probably somewhere on Elon's campus. And you should try to go to as many as possible. If you haven't figured it out already, Elon has a huge, highly-talented preforming arts population. From the musicals and plays each semester, to the a capella concerts, to the dance recitals, if you have a friend in the arts, make sure to go out and support them. You will not only be encouraging a friend, but also getting to experience the work of your fellow Elon students.

Do Community Service

Elon students love giving back to the Elon community and there are a ton of cool ways to get involved in community service. The Kernodle Center, Elon's main source for service learning and community engagement, works with loads of local and national organizations, from Habitat for Humanity to Boys and Girls Club to the Salvation Army. And there are so many campus events you can get involved in, as well. Whether it is doing a shift for Elonthon or Relay for Life, donating blood at he blood drive, or creating a film for a charity group, there is a way for you to join in on the giving.

So Class of 2018, those are just my top ten "What Not to Miss" moments. Go out and make the most of your first year at Elon. You are officially 23 days from Orientation Day!

-Patterson