When I was in high school, I expected college life to be fun only with parties and hangouts that involve alcohol. However, it turned out that's absolutely not true; there are so many activities and events available for you to simply enjoy life on campus. I am no expert on all the activities that take place on campus, but I've certainly taken part in some really exciting IU traditions and events. Here I'll list three of those that I personally enjoyed the most in my two year-long IU life.
1. JB5K Color RunIt is one of the best traditions we have at IU. About 2,000 students and faculty members join this annual event to promote campus safety and assault awareness. Eco-friendly color powder will be scattered on everyone during and after the 5 kilometer run. But we don't just pour color on ourselves while running. Before the race starts, we will gather behind the SRSC to hear about how JB5K came about and award team participants after which we do the Cardio Hip-Hop dance to warm ourselves up before we start running 5K. After we pass the finish line we are given snacks to feed ourselves, and there is more dancing and more color showering! I will never forget how much I enjoyed this event, even with the sore legs for days afterwards.
This beautiful light totem in front of our IU Art Museum is definitely a must-see. There is a tradition to lie down on the ground with your legs up on the wall of the Art Museum and just stare at the sky for a while; it is very relaxing and you will never worry about your homework or papers at least for that moment you lie down there. The colors of the light constantly changes so it is fun to simply observe the beauty of the colorful. The Light Totem starts lighting up in the evening, so you should only go there when it's dark out to appreciate the view!
Are you a musical or play fan? Then you've come to the right place. IU Auditorium offers a variety of musical and play productions that differ every academic year. Although these showings take place on the IU campus, so many other Bloomington local residents come to watch these wonderful shows. (But only IU students are eligible for discounted tickets!) As a musical fan myself, I have gone to watch so many musicals such as Mamma Mia!, Beauty and the Beast, and so on. Also I've seen plays such as M. Butterfly, Pride and Prejudice, King Lear, etc. None of these shows disappointed me and I am very happy that IU offers such great opportunities to enjoy live music and performing arts.
