Dear Frosh...

With the final week of freshman year classes over, it’s amazing how quickly this year went by. For as much as people warn you it will, you don’t realize how quick it went until it’s over. The people I’ve met and the experiences I’ve had remind me why I chose IU in the first place. From the first day of classes, the home-opener football game, first snow, to today’s Frisbee game, this year has been full of good times with great new friends. To those of you who read on a consistent basis, thank you, and I hope you enjoyed my posts. To any incoming freshman, this is for you…

           

Dear Incoming Frosh,

            Congrats! I hope your freshman year is as amazing as mine. Meet new people, experience new things, and maybe learn a thing or two. To the workaholics, skip class every once in a while so you don’t drive yourself insane. To the procrastinators, get up for your 9 a.m. and actually GO to class. To both, keep up on your work, life sucks when you’re knee deep in papers and can’t have any fun.

            Get to know professors and upperclassmen; they’re a great resource both for learning academically and learning about the surrounding area. They know the town; make use of their knowledge. They’re not as scary as you think.

            Don’t lock yourself in your dorm room, it gets claustrophobic and boring; get outside and enjoy the beauty of IU’s campus. Find your favorite places to get away, and the quite places where you can think. Learn the campus from north to south, east to west; don’t lock yourself into one region of campus. Eat everywhere, you WILL get sick of eating at the same dining hall every single day; explore your options!

            Experience Bloomington. Take a trip into town and find it’s hidden gems. Bloomington is an amazing town with great food, nice people, and its own unique culture. Take a walk through town and strike up a conversation with a stranger.

            So don’t waste your freshman year. Meet as many people as you can and get your feet planted in IU’s society. It’ll be over quicker than you think.

-Dan

Lucky Streak

With Little 5 over, things quieting down around campus, and Easter right around the corner, I can tell that the school year is wrapping up. Preparations for finals have begun and my to-do list for the year is getting shorter. My last packages of the year came in featuring the most addicting cookies ever from my sister, and common Easter basket treats from the “Easter Bunny” (thanks parents!) My newfound love for Vitamin Water has replaced my former addiction to Arizona Ice Tea, and I just registered for fall classes. I thought my luck for the year had burnt out.

WOOHOO! I WON! Or at least so said the email I received last Sunday. Back in January I took the National Survey of Student Engagement or NSSE. The survey is given each year with a goal to determine the level of student involvement in activities and academics. This year IU was one of 761 schools polled and I was one of 4,419 IU students to participate (393,630 total).

            IU was smart about the survey, leaving it completely optional. They did however automatically enter you into drawing for any one of numerous prizes from an IPod Touch to free movies if you participated. Funny how fifteen minutes of my time that I took during my physics class (yay multitasking!) resulted in free stuff!

  I opened up the email to find I won five wooden nickels at Bloomington Bagel Company.  I had no idea what a wooden nickel was, absolutely none. Turns out they’re “coupons” for a free naked (without cream cheese) bagel, or 95 cents off your total order. I love bagels and go to BBC way too much, so this was the perfect prize! I’ve got a wooden nickel! (and yes, it's better than a golden ticket...) :D

The Times Are a Changing

             Just as the weather has started changing, so have things around campus. Things are getting fixed or built, and campus will look quite different when everyone returns in the fall. Here’s an update on renovations happening on campus.

 

Showalter Fountain is being repaved. The cement circling the fountain is being removed and replaced.

The first half of the Briscoe Quad renovation is nearly complete. The newly done Shoemaker (west) tower will re-open next year, while the Gucker (east) tower will close down to undergo similar renovations. You can see a 3-D representation of the new building here (http://www.rps.indiana.edu/briscoevid.cfml).

 

The Jacobs School of Music just held its groundbreaking ceremony for its newest building. Located on the corner of 3^rd & Jordan where the West University Apartments used to stand, a new building containing practice rooms and teacher studios will be added. Also included in the project is an extension onto the backside of the MAC, adding another large rehearsal room and an audio control room. You can read more about the project here (http://info.music.indiana.edu/news/page/normal/17875.html).

 

Finally, the HPER building is being refurbished this summer. The roof of the upper basketball courts (room 293) is being replaced!

Keep a look out for the changes next fall!

This is Classified

The Classified Listings.

Need to dump off a pair of basketball tickets? Sublet an apartment? Sell everything because you just graduated and don’t need it anymore? Then the IU Classifieds are just the place for you. Hosted on IU servers, the classifieds serve as Indiana University’s very own version of Craigslist!

  The classifieds can be found by logging into OneStart. On the left side of the page under the “Most Popular” section is the link. Once you reach the classifieds homepage, you will be asked to pick a category such as Books, Electronics, or Tickets & Events. Pick a section and start searching. Look for deals such as cheap electronics, used musical instruments, or even your next job! Departments such as Sociology and Psychology consistently post ads looking for test subjects, as do local businesses looking for an extra hand.  

Classified Category Screen.

  The classifieds are the perfect place to look for carpools and sublets. There’s an entire thread just for rides. Put up an ad or scroll through what’s already posted and you might not have to take Bloomington Shuttle Service back to Chicago next break.  If you’re going away for a semester or need to cover rent put up your location and price; you might just find your next roommate! 

A common classified ad.

  Take use of this great resource. Snag some cheap tickets to the next home basketball game, find a job, sell your old iPod, or find a ride home. The classifieds serve the perfect medium for getting into contact with anyone of the 43,000 students on campus!

Angles of Art

By day, the IU Art Museum looks like just another building surrounding Showalter Fountain. Occasionally confused with the MAC due to a common red sculpture outside, the museum becomes one of IU’s most iconic buildings by night thanks to the light totem.  The totem projects colors down the wall that illuminate it and pop in the night sky. Students are constantly found lying on the ground looking up the wall, reliving their youth imagining they are once again racing on Rainbow Road in Mario Kart 64. While the buildings main attraction is its nighttime lights, within the museum is a collection of works worth seeing.

 Lucky for you the museum is free! That’s right, free to everyone! Closed on Mondays, the museum is open every other day until 5 opening at 10 AM (noon on Sundays).  Housed within the museum are works by Picasso, Matisse, Pollack, and Monet. Also, the museum brings in special exhibits that rotate throughout the year; currently on display is a collection of works by Andy Warhol. The museum however, is a work of art itself. The building contains no straight lines. Nowhere in the building, except the stairs, is there a right angle. 

 

          Within the museum is Angles, a coffee shop that doubles as the museum gift shop. Offering free trade items and merchandise directly related to the museum’s exhibits, Angles is a hidden gem on campus. Not many people know about it, and the coffee is outstanding. Stop by and grab a cup, then feel free to take a stroll through the galleries!

How To Deal With It

In a busy week back from break, my blog post was sadly neglected. I was stressing out about it, unsure of a topic, only to realize it was right in front of me: how I was dealing with everything. Everyone’s bound to have a busy schedule in college, and learning how to use your time wisely and get everything done without freaking out saves you a lot of trouble. So in a week where my iCal was filled with overlapping colors due to homework, over 200 pages of notes, a voltmeter to build, an analog tape edit, three tests looming on the horizon, four concerts to record, and four meetings to attend, here are my tips to make a busy week a little less stressful.

Make a List - Write down everything you need to get done, because you’re bound to forget something. Plus, crossing things off makes you feel like you’ve completed and made progress. That’s why the first thing on my list is, make a list.

Keep Your Schedule - If you have a standard schedule, stick to it. Changing it only makes you feel like you have more to do. If you usually go to the gym on Tuesday, go! That way “Go to the gym” doesn’t end up on your list.

           
Take Breaks - Don’t just sit down and try and do everything at once. You’ll go insane. Do a couple hours and then take a half-hour to watch an episode of your favorite TV show or something ("Big Bang Theory" for the win…)

REMEMBER TO EAT! - No food = No energy =No good work.

Don’t Sit In Silence - Throw on some music or something in the background, but nothing distracting. Instrumental or music in a foreign language goes a long way.

Prioritize and multitask when possible and you’ll quickly have a list of crossed-off accomplishments... and your colorful iCal won’t be so scary.

Get Connected!

Computer bank in Read lobby.

In the technology-based world that we live in, computers are a must.  Internet access is necessary and having it anywhere is a requirement. For those with laptops, IU’s entire campus is wireless and every student has access via their IU login information. If you live in campus housing you are also supplied with an Ethernet cable which, after extensive use, I can safely say nearly doubles the speed. 

For those of us that don’t carry our laptops everywhere, there are multiple locations on campus with computer banks open to the public. Places like Jordan Hall, the IMU, and residence halls have banks of 3-4 computers where you can check your e-mail throughout the day. 

Computers in the Music Annex.

It’s the day before your paper is due, and your computer crashes; what do you do? You may be sitting there thinking, “That will never happen to me. It’s too cliché.” Trust me, it will. It happens to everyone. Thankfully, IU makes it easy to overcome this disastrous situation. Most residence halls and libraries have computer labs where you can sit and type. And type. And type. The labs in the Wells Library are even available 24 hours a day, for those times when you don’t start your paper until 2 a.m. the day it’s due.

Paper is finished, now what? Print! While some students have a printer in their room, it’s really not worth the cost. Keeping up on paper and ink cartridges is expensive, especially when IU gives you 650 pages per semester, with the option of rolling over up to 300 pages if you don’t use them all! Color printing is also available at certain labs for $1 per page. Take advantage of the computer resources available to students throughout campus. IU’s services can make a horrible situation a manageable one. Get connected!

Get Around Town

Given the size of IUB, getting around campus seems like it would be tough. The university covers more than 2,000 acres and stretches from Third Street to Seventeenth Street, and from Indiana Ave. to Union Street. It takes almost half an hour to walk from one end to the other. My first piece of advice for navigating such an expanse is to choose your housing wisely, so you don’t have to walk twenty minutes to class every day. Beyond that, here are the best ways to get around campus:

1.     Find a friend with a car! (Because most of us don’t have the luxury of having a car…) If you plan on bringing a car, be forewarned that parking isn't always convenient or cheap, and that it may be more trouble than it's worth.

2.     Ride your bike. Bloomington is a bike-friendly town; there are plenty or places to lock up your bike with no worries. Quick, easy, and efficient, your bike may be the best way around B-town, except in the winter. 

3.     Use the bus system! As an IU student you get free rides on Bloomington Transit (BT) just by showing your ID. BT is the best way to get to your friend's off-campus apartment. In addition to BT, the university runs a campus bus service that loops around campus from 7:30 a.m. to midnight on weekdays, and until around 3 a.m. on weekends. There’s even a Bus-tracker iPhone app available, developed by IU students for IU students.                                                 

4.     When all else fails, walk! You’ve got feet--use them. Sure it takes longer, but the exercise is good for you. Plus, you get to see the beauty of campus, which is always a plus. 

So get out and learn the best ways to get around IU and Bloomington. Master the buses and get your legs in shape so that 20-minute morning walk to Swain Hall doesn’t seem so bad.

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!