Your UK bucket list
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 6, 2026) — College goes by fast, and at the University of Kentucky, there’s no shortage of experiences worth remembering. Whether you’re a first-year student getting started or a senior preparing to graduate, these campus traditions, hidden gems and unforgettable moments belong on every Wildcat’s bucket list.
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Cheer on the cats at one of the 23 varsity sporting events — Make sure to snag a photo with the Wildcat or Scratch, if you get the opportunity.
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Take a stroll through The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky — Located at 500 Alumni Drive, The Arboretum is a 100-acre public garden on UK’s campus, equipped with walking trails.
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Go to a performance at Singletary Center for the Arts — Singletary Center is home to more than 300 music, dance, comedy and lecture events on campus every year.
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Spend a day at the races at Keeneland College Scholarship Day — Scholarship Day offers full-time college students a day filled with races, prizes, giveaways and more.
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Rub the right foot of President Patterson’s statue in front of the Patterson Office Tower — Tradition says that if you rub Patterson’s right foot before an exam, you will pass.
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Participate in DanceBlue or support those dancing — DanceBlue is a 24-hour no sitting, no sleeping dance marathon that raises money for the DanceBlue Hematology/Oncology Clinic at Golisano Children’s at UK.
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Walk through Maxwell Place’s garden — Also known as the President’s house, Maxwell Place has been home to UK presidents since 1918.
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Enjoy an afternoon in the Willy T. Bowl — In the warmer months, bring a blanket and relax for some extra Vitamin D and sunshine. In the winter, grab your coat and sled down the bowl with friends.
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Watch a movie at Worsham Cinema in Gatton Student Center — Check BBNvolved to stay up-to-date with what movies are being shown.
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Order food through robot delivery — Many restaurants on campus offer robot delivery through GrubHub.
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Take the elevator to the 18th floor of Patterson Office Tower — POT is the tallest building on UK’s campus, providing an impressive view.
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Explore Lexington and try a local restaurant — Branch out and see what Lexington has to offer off campus.
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Earn money through UK Invests — UK Invests allows students to deepen their understanding of financial wellness, practice financial investing and receive monetary rewards for institution-identified healthy behaviors.
For those about to graduate
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Purchase alumni merch from the UK Bookstore — What better way to make your alumni status official than with merch that says so?
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Walk through the gates at Alumni Commons — Students are encouraged to walk through the gates as new students and walk out of the gates as graduates. Be on the lookout for an email about the upcoming walk for May 2026 graduates.
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Take graduation photos at your favorite places around campus — Capture all the locations that meant the most to you throughout your time at UK.
These moments will become more than just another bucket list item — they are what you will remember most from your college experience. It’s never too late to start checking items off your list.
College goes by fast, so make the memories, take the pictures and remember — it’s always a great day to be a Wildcat.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.