Whether after a near death experience or simply walking to school on a pleasant morning, something could happen to make someone realize their mortality and reevaluate what they want from life. It may be that they want to climb to the top of Mount Everest or visit a particular landmark. Either way, many people find themselves making a “bucket list.” This list is a compilation of all the things that a person wants to accomplish or witness before dying.

The term itself comes from the old phrase to kick the bucket, which means to die. Now that the idea of a bucket list has caught on, it has even reached the high school level. It might seem morbid to have young adults, most under 18, considering what they want to do before they die. Despite the scary implications of such an mature idea, the response and use of the term with students has been generally light-hearted and positive.

Senior Daniel Huynh grins as he exchanges greetings with a large group of friends. Huynh displays an obvious ease at being in a large group of friends and strangers. “I have always wanted to do a lot of things in life, so a list was the easiest way to remember it all,” Huynh said. “One thing that tops the list is doing crazy things with some friends in all the states in America and recording our adventures.”

Then there are the those students who have a more interesting, almost experimental approach to the bucket list. Danial Rashid has always enjoyed hanging out with his friends and meeting new people. Those attributes are visible when considering what he wants to do before he kicks the bucket.

“I’ve always wanted to dress up as Spiderman for a day and run around helping strangers and shooting webs,” Rashid said.

At a school like AHS, located in one of the top five counties in the country, students have more opportunities than ever to check off items on their bucket list.

Some of the more common items on these bucket lists are skydiving and visiting foreign places. Senior Ryan Smith always said he wanted to go skydiving, and when offered the opportunity, he didn’t waste it. Now after having checked it off his bucket list, he recommends it to anyone who wants “the experience of a lifetime.”

“I went sky diving and it was awesome. It was a really unique experience and I’d do it again in a heartbeat,” Smith said. “It’s one of those things you just have to go out and experience.”

Many students agree with Smith, saying they want to go skydiving before they kick the bucket. Some have more thrilling and slightly extravagant ideas. Senior Quy To has run track all four years of high school and even claims to have shot a gun before, though he wouldn’t specify whether it was a real gun or a pellet gun. Either way, shooting a gun and running track have been inspirations for his bucket list.

“I shot a gun once. It was really loud and exciting,” To said. “What I really want to do is run the entire length of the Great Wall of China, since I’m a track runner and all.”