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.
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