A Taste of Bloomington

     One of the great things about living in some form of RPS community is floor and community events. My floor recently had one that was open to the entire Honors Residential Community (HRC).  The HRC has communities in Briscoe, Teter, Forest, Union Street, and Wilkie. 
      The HRC recently hosted “The Taste of Bloomington” event. One of my friends who is on the advisory board actually pitched the idea, so I got suckered into going, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it! The event featured food from four of the local ethnic restaurants on 4^th street.  The menu was as follows:  
 

 

Anatolia (Turkish)                                              

Baked Dolma (Grape Leaves), Mixed Kebabas, Tabuli (Salad)

Esan Thai

            -Chicken Pad Thai, Tofu Pad Thai

 

 

Samira (Middle Eastern)

 -Baked Chicken, Meatballs in Tomato Sauce, Vegetables/Green Salad, White and Spiced Rice, Baklava

Taste of India

-Indian Bread, Tika Masala, Nawrattan Korma

 

            The mood was set with Indian music playing in the background and the smell of delicious food in the air. It was a great opportunity to meet people in the community from other buildings over some great food and friendly conversation.  So next time your floor hosts an event, join in! A good time awaits!

A Lovely Surprise

There’s only one thing more exciting than getting mail in college; getting a package. There are few things more exciting than seeing that orange slip in your mailbox when you least expect it.  A care package from home recently arrived and reminded me how nice it is to have food in the room. Imagine this: It’s five o’clock on a Friday afternoon and I’m sitting in my room putting the final touches on my blog entry; hunger hits. A 20-minute round trip along with a 15-minute wait for food seems out of the picture. Time to raid the pantry. 

My pantry.

 A well-stocked pantry in a necessity in a residence hall; on-demand food is a convenience that cannot be overlooked. So, here’s my list of the five food groups of a college pantry. They’re staples in my friends' rooms and in mine, and bound to make any college student happy. To the parents out there, if you’re planning on sending a “care package" anytime soon, here’s a helpful hint or two:

1. Soda - Caffeine can be a life saver to a college student; combine it with sugar, and you’ve got liquid fuel. Having this “liquid fuel” on hand is key, because you never know when thirst will strike. Campus runs on Coke products, which makes Dr. Pepper hard to find (sad face!) but Vanilla Coke is always right around the corner. 

2. Sweets - A quick pick-me-up or a special treat. Double-Stuffed Oreos and a glass of milk can make a bad day bearable. You can get some amazing sweets on campus to keep in your room. My favorite is the Reese’s Pie available at the Wilkie C-Store. 

    3. Salty Snacks - Chips and dips or crackers and cheese make the perfect afternoon snack. Combine Chex Mix (my favorite) with TV on demand thanks to the local Movies, Music, and More (MMM) in your room makes for a relaxing afternoon after a long day of classes   

    4. Grab and Go - The ideal is Pop Tarts. They’re sweet, tasty, and just filling enough. Items like Cliff Bars, cereal, and little bags of chips are also good options. The purpose is of this food group is a midday pickup; something you can eat on the way to or from class.

5. Microwave Meal - The ultimate college kid food. A   full meal made in the most powerful cooking machine we have access to 24/7. Easy Mac reigns as king in this category. The ability to have a full meal of our choice within eight minutes in the comfort of our own room is perfect. 

There they are, the five basic food groups of a college pantry. Everyone has favorites within the categories. So students, let your parents know what you like, and maybe you’ll get a care package in the mail soon, just like I did!

 

Sunny Side Up

At 6:32 a.m., I am awake; the world is not. My alarm has just gone off because I have a thing against my alarm going off on a round number; it can’t go off on a five or 10. I roll over, nearly forgetting about the six-foot drop to the floor from the top bunk, and land on my barely carpeted dorm room floor.  After a quick shower, I’m out the door at 7:02 to catch the fast-approaching day. 

  At 7 a.m. in Bloomington things are pretty quiet. The shops are closed, the buses have just begun their routes, and few cars are out. Most students are sleeping soundly after a long night or just getting up for their dreadful 8 a.m. classes, which they’ll be two minutes late to after stopping for much-needed coffee. However, wake up a half hour earlier, and you can catch one of the most beautiful things in town: the sunrise. 

To be honest, I stumbled onto the beauty of the sunrise by mistake. A couple of weeks ago, after pulling an all nighter hanging out with friends, I was wandering home to catch a much-needed nap before a busy afternoon. With my friends living about a mile off campus, a morning walk seemed like a perfect way to end my “evening,” so I headed home. On my way I was greeted by the sun and the beautiful colors that accompanied its rising. The purple in the sky reflected off the gray buildings, making their exteriors a sight to see.  That morning I saw Bloomington in a new light.

IU has a gorgeous campus; it’s one of the things that made me love it here so much. There are obvious places like the Arboretum and Sample Gates, and hidden gems like the courtyard on the backside of Ballantine Hall and the plaza near Swain. Beauty is found everywhere on campus. However, sunrise at IU might be this campus's greatest hidden gem, only appearing while most are fast asleep.  So wake up, get out the door, and experience it. It’s well worth the time. 

 

Who's That Guy?

     Hi there, and welcome! This being my first entry, I figured it would be good to tell you a little about myself before I give you my perspective of being a student here at IU. My name is Dan and I’m a freshman in the Jacobs School of Music, majoring in Recording Arts with minors in Composition and Jazz Studies. I currently live in the Hutton Honors Community in Forest, and plan to move into Union Street Center next year.

     I’m from Downers Grove, a suburb about 25 minutes west of Chicago. When I'm home, I spend quite a bit of time in the city just wandering around, taking photos, and absorbing the culture of such an amazing place. I miss the skyscrapers, lake breeze, and deep-dish pizza.

The Chicago Skyline from Navy Pier.

      Everyone seems to ask me why I chose IU, so let’s just get that question out of the way.  I’ve known since sophomore year that I wanted to work in the music business. Music is my true passion in life; I play seven instruments and can’t go a day with listening to music. I’ve also always had a love and knack for technology, so combining the two seemed like the perfect plan. Knowing that I didn’t want to end up at a small technical school, I started looking at bigger colleges and universities with audio programs. I fell in love with IU. It had an amazing program while still giving me the chance to enjoy all the perks of a Big Ten University.

My 160GB Ipod, that is completely full of music.

 

      When I’m not making or recording music, you will find me sleeping, eating, or on the fencing strip. I’ve been fencing for seven years and love the sport. I am on the club team here at IU and we’re currently prepping for Nationals in April. So, let’s do a lightning round really quick of other random facts! I love guacamole. I've been told I make the best facial expressions. I enjoy jumping over things, and I make a mean French toast. 

    Now that you know a little about me, we can get down to business…next week! Until then Goodbye! Adios! Au revoir! If I missed your language of choice, I apologize; to make up for it I’ve provided this link! (http://translate.google.com/) HAPPY TRANSLATING!