By Gracie Fairfax | Echo
The parking lots are packed and the campus age demographic finally has greater diversity. Grandparents Day is arguably the best day of the year, giving you a glimpse into what your classmates will look like at your 50-year reunion. Although age is just a number, a lot has changed since your grandparents were in college, and I'm here to give you some suggestions on what to do with your elderly extras on Grandparents Day in the bustling metropolis of Upland.
1) Ride Taylor taxis down Devil's backbone
Despite what you may think, bicycles did exist back in the day. Your grandparents will love the nostalgia it brings them as they ride those gleaming beauties around campus. Go for a nice leisurely ride and then surprise them with the backbone. But watch out, you might have trouble keeping up. Even older people love a good adrenaline rush. Just promise me you won't give grandma or grandpa a broken taxi.
2) Make them a scavenger hunt
This could include clues that lead them to your favorite teeth brushing sink in the community bathroom or the formerly icy spot where you face planted in the bleak mid-winter. Grandparents love being invested in both the big and small moments of your life. While pointing out the first desk you ever sat in at Taylor may seem boring to you, your grandparents are older and wiser and know that seat deserves a golden plaque with your name on it.
3) Double date with them on a pick-a-date
If there's one thing grandparents can totally relate to, it's young love. Your grandpa remembers the days well when he and your grandma put two straws in a milkshake and locked eyes. They remember the good dates and the bad dates. So, go ahead. Ask your grandparents to double date on your pick-a-date. You'd be surprised how well they fit in. You'll quickly realize how awkward you and your date are as you look on to the perfectly comfortable couple of 50 years.
4) Ask your art major friend to paint a portrait of you and your grand-folks
While it may seem like everyone is having personal photo shoots every weekend, not everyone has a painting of them and their grandparents. Your grandparents will love the nostalgia of paint on canvas. Buy matching outfits and get ready to be painted. If you're feeling as though it didn't really happen because it isn't uploaded to the Facebook or the Instagram, take a photo of the painting and upload it to out-hipster your friends.
5) Let them tell you all the people they think you should date
Grandparents love to play matchmaker and relive their youth vicariously through you. When we see a nice-looking young person, we can't let that discovery go to waste. We must set our grandchildren up with them, even if you think you have nothing in common. If you want to make your grandparent's day, include the person they think you should date in a conversation.
6) Take them to all the Upland hot spots
Ivanhoe's and the Bridge are go-to spots to bring visitors, and your grandparents shouldn't miss out. If you're feeling really crazy and frugal, take them on a Polar Pop run! But let's be real-a visit is not complete without climbing the water tower or exploring the Taylor tunnels, Indiana Jones style. If none of those are their forte, take them to Upland Tire for an oil change.
7) Take your grandparents for a swim in Taylor Lake
It's almost summer and the living is almost easy. If you're tired of your surface-level relationship with your grand-folks, dive into Taylor Lake. Maybe even grab a paddle and a canoe while you're at it. It's not every day you get to bond with your grandparents in a lake where you might make a few leechy friends. Family bonding at its finest.
So go ahead and show your grandparents the wild side of campus life. They'll be sure to go home and tell all their friends about the time they helped you find your future husband or got their oil changed in a hip and trendy college town.
