I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t like Binghamton University or can’t recognize its dingy appeal. Sure, I understand the attraction of a school with a big, booming city or a tinier school with a stronger sense of community. On the scale of small liberal arts to Big 10s & NYUs, BU falls in the dead center. To some, that’s its tragic flaw. I beg to differ.

For the majority of downstate citizens, BU offers four years to live in a city completely different than anything you’ve experience before and are most likely to experience after. While some graduates stay in town after their final walk across the Events Center’s stage, it is safe to say that the number of students who make Binghamton a permanent home is pretty slim. Not exploring the city during the short time you live here is a huge disservice to yourself.

I’m not sure if “Senior Week,” or the tradition of staying in Binghamton the week after graduation, is a school-wide event or just something people I know have done in the past, but it’s certainly a tradition worth establishing. Spend an extra week here to celebrate graduation and indulge in what this place has to offer before you leave here indefinitely. You’ve earned it.

1. Check out the Blake — Nestled only 30 minutes away in the rolling hills of almost-Pennsylvania sits Nathaniel Cole Park — more often referred to by its nickname “the Blake” — a lake that’s great for swimming with a beach that’s great for grilling. Grab some road refreshments, a towel, hot dogs and speakers and enjoy the afternoon. You can also rent paddle boats and rowboats for only $10.

2. Do a senior scavenger hunt — Write a list that forces you to go all over the Binghamton area; recruit teams of five to fill cars, and charge some money to participate. The winner gets the lot. Stay in the library for 12 hours. Have one person in your car get a drink from every bar (and not just the ones on State Street). Swim in the Nature Preserve pond. Ride the Vestal 5 with minimal clothing. But remember, don’t get arrested; you’re probably still trying to find a job.

3. Go camping — Take advantage of upstate New York’s isolation and find a group of friends to spend a night in the wilderness with. Learn about survival, nature and each other. Aw.

4. Spa day — Spend a day pampering yourself with friends. You probably deserve it, and you probably need it after #3. There’s a massage studio right on Vestal Parkway called Knead Relief. If the massage doesn’t help relieve the stress of your looming future, laughing at how clever the name of the place is will. Go there.

5. Dining hall eating contest — Moving off campus meant trading in your meal plan for Sake-Tumi and Sodexo Joe for the Grande’s delivery guy. Revisit your dining hall alma mater with friends in an organized eating contest, including a variety of Sodexo’s offerings that you’ll probably never get to eat again. Try everything from the weird but delicious reuben pizza to Sodexo’s incredibly delicious chocolate chip cookies. When you’re done, bask in the fact that Sodexo meals are a thing of the past.