Your BYU Bucket List: Must-Do Activities Your First Year

Student Ambassadors
Aug 12
5 min read

Sarah Wilde

McKay Student Ambassador

Special Education (Severe/Profound Disabilities Emphasis)

Welcome to BYU! We hope you have a great experience becoming a part of the pack. Feeling a little lost on this huge campus? I know I was! I know you're getting flooded with all the information on classes, credits, grades, etc., so you may be wondering, "Is there anything FUN at college???" Fear not, between homework and study sessions, there are fun activities right here on campus! Below is a (non-exhaustive) list of fun things to do during your first semester!

Go to Devotionals

Part of what makes BYU so special is its weekly campus devotional. Campus faculty (and sometimes general church leaders!) give a 40-ish minute devotional at the Mariott Center every Tuesday at 11. Find the speaker schedule here. If you're clear on the other side of campus, like at the McKay Building, they broadcast the devotional to the JSB auditorium during Fall and Winter Semesters!

Hike the Y

A lot of students' favorite tradition is hiking the Y Trail on Y Mountain! The mountain is to the East of campus, click here to find information on when the parking lot is open and how to access the trail!

See a Concert in the Music Building

If music is more your thing, you should definitely see a concert in the Music Building's concert hall! As of the 2024-2025 school year, they have a pipe organ installed in the main concert hall; it's the third biggest pipe organ in the state of Utah! Many BYU music groups perform as well as individual students and guest performers. Click here to see the upcoming events!

Go to the Campus Museums

The BYU campus is home to lots of little museums! There's something for everyone. Click on the museum title to see its hours, locations, and current exhibits.

The Education in Zion exhibits in the JFSB that showcases the purposes and aims of a BYU education.
The Bean Life Science Museum is close to the Mariott Center and is sponsored by the Life Sciences College. (Note: the museum is named after Monte L. Bean. The museum is not about the life cycles of beans like I thought it was my first semester).
Legacy Hall is a showcase of BYU sports throughout the years and can be found in the Student Athlete Building.
The Museum of Art (MOA) is found between the arts building (currently under
construction) and Heritage Halls. This museum has a restaurant upstairs, so it makes for a great date night!
The Paleontology Museum is in the parking lot of the Football Stadium. It's a small museum, but worth it! You can get fake dinosaur fossils out of a vending machine.
The Peoples and Culture Museum is in the same building as BYU Sports Unlimited. It is a little farther from campus, on Canyon Road, but they hold lots of fun events that are perfect for taking your FHE group to!

Take a Fun Class (0.5-1 Credit)

While there are classes you have to take, there are lots of fun, low credit classes that feel more like an activity than a class! Student Wellness (SWELL) classes are .5 credits and are Pass or Fail classes, meaning they can't impact your GPA. Other classes, such as dance classes, are 1 credit, but still lots of fun! I took social dance as a freshman, and made so many friends! I want to take swim and yoga SWELL classes, but my friend took a scuba diving class! Go to the course search and type in an activity that interests you. Chances are, BYU has something you'll like!

Homecoming Week Activities

Homecoming week is in October! Current students and Alumni come together to celebrate BYU and its history. Here is a calendar for all these fun events! Keep a look out for more announcements by the university.

Various BYU Sports

While basketball and football get a lot of attention, don't forget about all the other amazing sports at BYU! Your student ROC pass gets you in to all of these games for free. In fact, the process of getting into games with your ROC pass is a lot easier at games that aren't football or basketball because there is no online queue! Also, there are a lot of free giveaways at these games, don't want to miss that! Here is a calendar for upcoming sports events.

Explore the Library

The library is huge! Being 5 stories tall, there is something for everyone. There are exhibits on the first floor, a cozy study area on the second floor, a cafe on the third, music on the fourth, and lots of study space on the fifth. There is a creative space with tools for student use. This includes a 3D printer, sewing machines, and so much more. There are recording studios, a movie theater, and a special collections area with historical artifacts that you can study. There should be more information in your New Student Modules about the library. Watch out for any events they may be holding!

Join a Club

There are clubs for everyone at BYU! Some of the clubs I have attended include the Tennis Club, the Real OCD Club, and The ASL Club. I know there are clubs such as the Plant-Based Club or the Knights of the Y (sword fighting). There are clubs related to various majors, lots of music clubs, and a club for almost every sport. You are sure to find a club, and a group of people, that are meant for you! Look through the list of clubs here. And be sure to go to clubs rush!

Y-Serve

Y-serve, has tons of service project throughout the school year. Each project is led by a different group of students. Many of these groups meet weekly, so it's not too much time out of your week and you still get to serve! There are y-serve projects that need people of different skill sets and interests. These projects range from tutoring people on campus, special needs outreach, elderly care, child tutoring in different subjects, and much more! Find a list of the projects here. the y-serve office is in the WILK.

Teacher Talks

Since you're reading a blog from a website called "Be a Teacher", I'm assuming that's something you could be interested in! Throughout the school year, the other student ambassadors and I will be hosting events called "Teacher Talks". Join our email list here to be notified of these events and any other announcements from us. "Teacher Talks" are held in the WILK on Thursdays between 11-11:45am. Dates TBD. We also have weekly booths in the WILK, come find us and say hi!

Bonus: BYU 150th!

During the 2025-2026 school year only, there will be events celebrating the 150th year of BYU! Find a calendar here. There is more to be announced about these activities and this school year, so stay tuned for campus announcements! Go Cougs!

There are so many things to do on campus! To see more activity ideas, get more information for your first year, and prepare yourself for the upcoming semesters, visit the First Year Experience Website!

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