December means a lot of things for us Hoosiers. From final examinations to the anniversary of the earth-shattering (to us, anyway) Wat Shot, where on December 10, 2011, Christian Watford's 3 pointer in the last 5.6 seconds helped IU beat the 1 ranked Kentucky Wildcats, there's a lot to anticipate.
"WATFORD FOR THE WIN... YES YES!"
(Yes, I find this absolutely necessary to post and watch every single time.) Campus
Photo by my friend, @nickmcfarland1. Sample Gates at 7:30 A.M.
One of the greater things to look forward to is definitely the snow. Yes, everyone hates walking through the snow in super cold temperatures, but having a scenic campus, such as Indiana University's Bloomington campus... Well, it makes up for it. From the arboretum to the Union to the Sample Gates, I could go on and on about how beautiful IU's campus is during the winter, but my words would do no justice. Check out theCOLLEGEU's compilation of winter photos from this past month -- I promise you will be in awe.
Another cool thing to check out is to swing by the Indiana Memorial Union at night during December. Not only is it beautifully decorated on the inside with holiday wreaths and just the overall comfortable, cozy and charming atmosphere of the building, but the outside is just as lovely, as the IMU puts up two 75-foot pillars shaped as burning candles, and they hang them up on the sides of the building -- holiday tradition.
Kirkwood Square
Photo by: Kendall Reeves at Indiana Public Media
By far one of my favorite things about Bloomington in December are the gorgeous string of Christmas lights around Kirkwood. The picture above is what the Kirkwood Square looks like. Lights are strung from the courthouse to the other buildings and around the trees in the square. It makes a stroll down the rich and lively street even more lovely than usual.
The Shows
Photo credit: Singing Hoosiers - Jacobs School of Music
Another great thing about IU is our music school. Jacobs School of Music was ranked between first and eighth overall out of 63 music programs in 2010. The Chimes of Christmas Concert is an annual holiday concert that features the Singing Hoosiers, our music school's Grammy-nominated vocal ensemble. This past year, we also had the chance to have The Nutcracker, a ballet Christmas classic, at our Musical Arts Center!
Fun fact: Did you know Ryan Murphy, creator of TV shows, Glee and American Horror Story, was a member of the Singing Hoosiers?
Winter breakAnd finally, one of the greatest things to anticipate in December is winter break. Say it with me. Winter. Break.
After a long semester of working hard, being a part of the various great organizations on campus, helping one another cope and understand the losses that we've had as a school, cheering on our Hoosiers at sporting events, goofing off around campus, and let's be honest, cramming for finals, winter break gives us a chance to all breathe a little. We can spend time with family, reflect on the past year and look forward to a fresh start that lies in the next semester and year. It's a great time to be so appreciative of where we're at in our lives -- attending one of the best colleges in the nation -- Indiana University. It truly is one of the most wonderful times of the year.
A Christmas Story
Herman B Wells at Riley Cheer Guild Party, photo credit to IU Archives
I'd like to end this post with probably one of the coolest stories I have ever heard about a man named Herman B Wells. Ever heard of him?
Well just some quick background, Herman B Wells was IU's 11th president. The reason why he is one of the most important figures in IU history is because he is one of the reasons why IU is such a well-rounded and cultured University, as he oversaw the desegregation of IU, but we'll go into more detail about that in another post. Anyways, Wells was known for his frequent walks around campus, and often times, he'd find himself talking to students. While talking to my public relations professors about journalism experience, he mentioned how he worked at the Indiana Daily Student, our school newspaper, and about the cool things he got to do as editor and photographer. He began to tell me about a highly-anticipated Christmas tradition during his time at IU -- Herman B Wells would dress up in a Santa costume, give out candy and wish students a Merry Christmas! My professor had the opportunity to snap a picture of the beloved Santa Wells in action. He then framed it, and it now hangs in his office. Ever since he told me that story, I can't help but picture a jolly Santa Wells walking around campus, spreading Christmas cheer!
Have a lovely winter break, Hoosiers! Stay warm. Here's to hoping for a great semester in the new year aaaaaand GO HOOSIERS!
For more reasons why IU is awesome:- 10 Reasons Why I Love Being an IU Hoosier
- My IU Picture Diary - See for yourself why I love IU so much