The Buried Life checks Seattle U off its bucket list

They have done number 59, "Ask out the girl of your dreams," and number 27, "Go to a rock concert all in leather." Currently they are working on number 16, "Drive across North America."

And their next stop is Seattle University.

The bucket list of four young twenty-something Canadian guys has grabbed the attention of thousands of people who follow their journey on the MTV show "The Buried Life." In their purple bus named Penelope, the four friends travel everywhere to cross things off their list while simultaneously helping strangers.

"Each episode features them scratching one thing off their list, and while they do that, they think that there should be a social justice aspect to it where they also help a stranger cross something off their list," said Katie Dineen, student programmer for Student Activities. Student Activities has arranged to have two of the four stars from the cast, Jonnie Penn and Ben Nemtin, visit campus Thursday to share some stories and inspire.

"I had seen maybe one or two episodes before and it was just something that seemed really cool and really different for a reality TV show," said fellow student programmer Cameron Martin.

Keppler Speakers, a bureau specializing in organizing celebrity speeches, has been getting the cast to go to different college campuses.

"The way you accomplish the things in your life, the way you do the things that you want to do in your life, is by going after it," said cast member Jonnie Penn at another university while traveling earlier this year. "You need to go after it, you need to take that first baby step, or I promise you, it will never come true. If you don't share it, if you don't give it to the world, then the world can't come back to you and help you."

Student Activities is excited for the speakers on Thursday.

"I really like the aspect that they help others along the way," Martin said. "It's okay to help yourself but also think about the fact that there are other people with goals, too, and it can be really fun to help them."

In light of "The Buried Life" cast coming to Seattle U, students are being asked a question by Martin and Dineen: What do you want to do before you graduate?

"Not necessarily a bucket list for your life but just focusing on ‘What do you want to do while you're here?'" Dineen said. "Because it's four years, it's such a short amount of time."

Student Activities' Facebook page has been releasing several videos where students are asked their short-term goals. From wanting to streak through the Quad, to being Rudy for a day, to watching a wedding in the chapel, students have aspirations worthy of writing down.

"It's right in front of you, you know it, it's right there and you're accountable to yourself to go and do it and that makes it real," Penn said.

Martin encourages and welcomes students to post more videos on Facebook about their goals here at Seattle U.

"I think that sharing your goals is the best way of completing them," Martin said.

Here for the night on Thursday, "The Buried Life" cast will then leave the Seattle U community with an important question to consider: What do you want to do before you die?

Colleen may be reached at cfontana@su-spectator.com