Students will have the opportunity to share their life goals on an Eastern bucket list.

The University Board will be having a bucket list event all week, including an Eastern bucket list and a speaker.

Mike Benner, the Executive Director of the Greater AIDs Project of East-Central Illinois, will be speaking about his bucket list and the benefits of bucket lists at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jtr. University Union. .

Angie Bradley, the lecture coordinator of the University Board, said the University Board will be displaying a cardboard bucket for students to add in an item from their bucket list.

The bucket will be displayed from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Bridge Lounge of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Bradley said the bucket list will help students organize goals for the beginning of the semester.

“This will give the students a boost at the beginning of the semester,” Bradley said. “It is a way for them to get organized before their classes.”

Bradley said this bucket will help to build an Eastern bucket list for all students to write something on.

She said the list allows students to see what other students want to achieve and allows them to connect with other students.

“Seeing others’ goals allow us to think about ways to help one another,” Bradley said. “It’s a reminder that you are not alone and we are all going through similar things.”

A speaker will also talk about the importance of bucket lists on Thursday.

Benner will be speaking about his bucket list and how it has helped him since he was diagnosed with AIDS.

“We chose him to come because he is someone that has a bucket list and has things he wants to do in his life,” Bradley said. “He will talk about his bucket list and what the important reasons are for having one, whether you have a terminal illness or not.”

She said Benner makes bucket lists seem more important because of his life story.

She said bucket lists are good for helping students during the school year such as helping them organize thoughts and goals, as well as planning for the semester.

Bradley said she likes writing her goals down herself.

Bradley said she hopes a lot of students come to hear the speaker, but also to write their goals on the bucket list.

“Like I say, if you don’t have goals what does life mean?” Bradley said.

Samantha McDaniel can be reached at 581-2812 or slmcdaniel@eiu.edu.