My IU Bucket List

It is often said that the four years of college are the best years of many peoples’ lives. Indiana University has so many different opportunities, so, for me, it is hard to try and experience it all in four short years. Here is my personal list of things I want to accomplish while at IU. As I begin to complete the various tasks on my list, I will definitely blog about them here!

Check! I am incredibly obsessed with my roommate, and I am so happy we decided to room together despite not knowing each other. If you want to read more about how I found my roommate, check out my first blog post: Picking the Perfect Roommate via Facebook- My Success Story

Often considered the “best college week”, Little 500 is a fantastic opportunity to experience the traditions and spirit of IU. I am very excited both to watch the bike race, and to attend the famous Little 500 concert. In years past, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, and even Macklemore came! IU’s Union Board has yet to officially announce who is coming, so we are all eagerly waiting.

Behind New York City, IU has the most ethnic restaurants per capita. Restaurants range from Anatolia (Turkish), to Do (Chinese/Asian Fusion), to Siam House (Asian/Thai). No matter what kind of food you are craving, chances are 4th Street has it.

Check! IU alum Jeff Mease created Pizza X (then Pizza Express) in 1982, and ever since, it remains Bloomington’s favorite pizza delivery service. People outside of Bloomington just do not get it until they try it. Some of the best times I have had at IU have been talking with friends incredibly late at night over a Pizza X pizza and breadsticks. It simply cannot be beat.

Check! This semester I am enrolled in Jewish Cooking, a one-credit-hour class that meets once a week.  We learn how to cook traditional Jewish foods, and we get to take home leftovers! IU has tons of one-credit-hour classes available for all majors: Middle Eastern Dance, Tap Dance, Volleyball, History of Rock and Roll, and many more. My goal is to take one of these more fun classes each semester.

At first glance, dancing for 36 (or even 18) hours sounds insane. And it is. But hearing people talk about what an amazing experience it is, and how amazing it feels to raise so much money for Riley Hospital for Children makes it worth it. At the 2013 Dance Marathon, the dancers raised $2.6 million! I look forward to dancing for such an incredible cause. Maybe I’ll start with the 18-hour shift though.

Check! This was a dream of mine even before enrolling at IU. My tour guide when I visited IU was incredibly sweet and knowledgeable about the campus. Not only that, but it was admirable how much he loved Indiana University in the short time he had spent here (he was a sophomore). When I decided to come to IU, I wanted to share my love of the university as well. This semester I was chosen to be a guide, and I could not be happier. Easily my favorite part is meeting all the prospective students and their families, and telling them what an incredible school Indiana is, and what amazing experiences I have had as a Hoosier.

Check! As an English and Journalism major, it seemed only right that I write for our school’s paper. I applied after my first semester of freshman year, and was elated when I was chosen to be on the Opinions Staff. I have a bi-weekly column in which I can write about whatever I want—movies, sports, personal experiences, etc. It is fantastic experience for the real world of journalism, and I have met tons of interesting people on the IDS staff.

Kirkwood, and downtown Bloomington, has TONS of ice cream shops. Being the extreme ice cream lover that I am, I want to try all of them before selecting my favorite.

Check! My floor had a snowball fight against another building in the Teter Quad. Even though I got hit…multiple times…the experience was still so much fun! Later that night, my floor decided we wanted to build a snowman in the middle of Showalter Fountain. At one in the morning. With below freezing temperatures. Needless to say, I could never have the same experience in Houston.

IU Basketball is a huge part of being a Hoosier. Coming from Texas, football is the favored sport over basketball. However, the transition between football to Hoosier basketball was an easy one. I found myself screaming the players on at games, even when I was in the last row of the balcony. I have had the opportunity to sit in the student section twice, but sometime during my four years, I want to experience Assembly Hall from behind the basket.

Check! During the first week of school, I knew nearly everyone in Wright Food Court was a freshman like me. Being my eager freshman self, I decided I would introduce myself to someone and see where things went. I sat down with Sarah, a human biology major from a small city in Indiana. Even though we haven’t really kept in touch, it was still nice to make that connection early on in the school year.

Indiana offers tons of intramural sports; from the more traditional volleyball and basketball, to the more unique battleship, there really is something for everyone. I haven’t decided which route I will take, but I am excited to participate in some sport activity with my friends.

Check! Multiple times! When my friends and I were in the mood for something sweet instead of Pizza X, we would order Baked cookies, also known as the best cookies in Bloomington. The cookies are delivered fresh out of the oven with cartons of milk to wash them down. My floor-mates and I have gotten to know each other so well, and shared crazy stories over Baked cookies. In fact, the night we built a snowman in Showalter Fountain, we ordered Baked almost immediately after we got back.

At the end of the day, my bucket list will not make or break my experience at Indiana University. The memories and friends I make are what I will remember. I want to remember what made my time here so special, and not regret the things I did not do.

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• My IU Summer Bucket List