A do-it-yourself Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

One day. Eight hours. Twenty-six dollars. The best city on the planet.

For my birthday a few weeks ago, I had a vision of spending that Friday — the day on which I have no class — on a Ferris-Bueller’s-Day-Off-like exploration of the city I love so much.

With the help of my friends Phil, Benjamin and Lilly, we transformed one unusually warm Halloween day into a day that would make Ferris Bueller proud. Because, as he says in the movie (which, coincidentally, was released the year I was born), “Life goes by pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

11:14 a.m. — Board Northwestern’s Intercampus Shuttle

Where: Starts at Northwestern’s Evanston campus, ends at the downtown campus near Michigan Avenue and Chicago Avenue
Cost: Free
More information: Northwestern downtown shuttle system

11:54 a.m. — Ask a stranger to take a photo of where you were born

As soon as we got off the bus, I noticed that we were right by the hospital in which I was born — Prentice Women’s Hospital — exactly 22 years earlier. A photo was necessary.

12 p.m. — Museum of Contemporary Art

See the latest in modern art — the political, the historical and the just plain wacky.

Where: 220 East Chicago Ave., Chicago
Cost: $6 for students
More information: Museum of Contemporary Art

12:30 p.m. — American Girl Place

Girls, let the guys take their time in the art museum while you go and relive your childhood. Re-enter the world where strong female role models teach young girls about major historical time periods, from the Depression to Colonial Williamsburg to the 1970s and everything in between. And, yes, you get to play with dolls.

Where: 835 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago (the new store is now in Water Tower Place)
Cost: Free, unless you buy something
More information: American Girl

1:15 p.m. — Disney Store

Who doesn’t love Mickey Mouse, Jack Sparrow and Troy and Gabriella? This is another store not to pass up.

Where: 717 N Michigan Ave., Chicago
Cost: Free to look around and not buy anything!
More information: Disney Store

1:45 p.m. — Have an unexpected brush with fame

As we passed by the WGN studios while walking along Michigan Avenue, we ran into Ronnie Woo Woo (or maybe a RWW lookalike), known as a Cubs fan extraordinaire.

More information: Ronnie Woo Woo

2 p.m. — Spertus Museum and Kosher Wolfgang Puck

Explore the newly remodeled museum detailing the history and culture of Judaism. And while you’re there, grab a wrapped sandwich or salad from the kosher Wolfgang Puck and stop by the gift shop and buy your mother something nice.

Where: 610 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago
Cost: Around $8 for a roast beef sandwich; free to look around the gift shop; $5 student admission to the museum (unless you’re well-networked like we were and could get a sneak peek for free)
More information: Spertus Museum

3 p.m. — Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College Chicago

Feeling artsy? Check out this small but meaningful museum with shots from some of today’s best photographers.

Where: 600 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago (next-door to Spertus)
Cost: Free
More information: Museum of Contemporary Photography

3:45 p.m. — Preview the site of an upcoming historic event

We were in the city just days before Obama’s victory speech in Grant Park, so we went as close as we could to watch the crews setting up for what turned out to be a major success for both President-elect Obama and the city of Chicago.

We then took the Intercampus Shuttle back to campus, arriving in Evanston around 5:15.

11:55 p.m. — Rocky Horror Picture Show

Okay, so it wasn’t quite part of our official “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” afternoon, but after a few hours on campus in the evening, we returned to the city (the Lakeview area) to see the midnight showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

We did the Time Warp and we did it again.

Where: Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave., Chicago
Cost: $10
More information: Midnight Madness or the Music Box Theatre

Much later that night — Breathe and get excited for next time

It was an exhausting, amazing day, and I can’t wait to do it again. Shoutouts to Phil, Benjamin and Lilly for being wonderful companions. Items on the agenda for the next trip include the Museum of Holography, Navy Pier, Millennium Park, Garrett’s popcorn and anything else you might recommend.