"I've been working a little bit. Kind of ready to go back to school," says almost every college student who has just finished their first year at IU. No, really. When I talk to all my friends, both those that went to other colleges and my IU friends, we're all in agreement that we're just really ready for school to start.
When I was finishing up high school, I remember when my friend who had just finished her first year at IU posted this photo on Facebook:
This is what I always thought about as I anxiously waited for my first year at IU to start. Will it really be THAT great? People always told me, "The first summer back from your first year of college is always the worst. You'll be counting down the days till you're back at school." They weren't kidding.
Luckily, I'll be back August 16th as a Welcome Week Assistant for Teter Dormitory! I've made it to mid-July, and I'm counting the days until I'm back in the beautiful 812. Here are some reasons why I'm looking forward to this next school year:
FREEDOMIf you're like me who is from a somewhat strict household, the freedom that you get at college is great. It's just different and weird being at school and walking around campus late at night with your friends to coming home and having a curfew. I have to drive my brother to practice? I have to wash the dishes again? I HAVE to help make dinner? What do you mean we can't just go to Wright Food Court? There are rules?!*
Ok, IU is like the America of most college towns: Melting pot of food, and it's honestly no wonder Bloomington was named one of the Top Food Towns in America:
My favorites that I can't get at home:
- Breakfast foods: The Village Deli... I miss you so much. The large pancakes, the home fries, just everything..
- Dinner: Just all of Kirkwood and 4th Street.
- Dessert: Hartzell's Ice Cream and Red Mango frozen yogurt
Most of us don't have a car when we're at college, so home gets the advantage of being able to get food more easily, but what good is that if the only food available after 11PM is McDonald's, Burger King, and Taco Bell? That gets old after awhile. (I'm sorry, Taco Bell. I love you and all, but it's true.)
Going to BtownMenus.com, and looking at all the food available for delivery at 1AM is a luxury.
Like, can you get Noodles & Co and Buffalouies delivered in your area? Probably not. How about Pizza X, Mother Bear's, Jimmy John's, and Baked! cookies at 2 in the morning?
The few IU Men's Soccer games I went to were really fun, and the Hoosier Army (IU Soccer's Support Club) were a dedicated bunch to watch. Also no big deal, but did I mention that we were NATIONAL CHAMPIONS this year? I'll be honest to say that I didn't go to many other sporting events, but I definitely plan to this year.
As for the football games? Tailgating....
And although we didn't have another Wat Shot moment this year, we did have the incredible IU v Michigan game, IU v OSU game, and this almost-legendary moment with Oladipo:
Most Hoosiers will remember that IU's win against Temple in the NCAA tournament this year wasn't a smooth ride, and it almost caused my roommate (and probably all of Hoosier Nation) to go into cardiac arrest as she hyperventilated.
We won 58-52, but lost in the Sweet Sixteen against Syracuse. Aren't you excited to see Sheehey, Yogi, along with new recruits Troy Williams and Evan Gordon (Yes, Eric Gordon's little brother) play Syracuse again this year in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge? It's a revenge game, leggo.
Also, going to a school that has such a great music school, I don't understand why I didn't take advantage of the awesome variety of music, musicals, and plays that IU offered this past year. When I was talking to my high school gym teacher that went to IU, and I asked him what he would have done differently at IU, he said, "I wish I would have taken advantage of all the music performances and musicals at school." That talk has definitely motivated me to see the musicals at the Auditorium when I get back this year. I did, however, have the awesome opportunity to see John Legend at the Auditorium this year, and he was phenomenal, aside from saying how he roots for the Ohio State Buckeyes. I also took advantage of the Union Board Films at the Whittenburg Auditorium at the IMU. They'll play free movies during the weekends. I was able to see Pitch Perfect, Looper and Django. Follow @UBFilmsIU on Twitter for movie updates!
I'd say the coolest thing I did though was watching Breaking Away, a classic film filmed in Bloomington about the Little 500 race, at the IU Cinema! Tom Schwoegler, Little 500 coach and part of the production crew for the film, came, gave a talk and answered questions regarding the film. Not only was it awesome watching a Bloomington classic on the big screen, it was really cool getting behind-the-scene stories about the 1979 movie. If you haven't seen Breaking Away, I suggest you do. It is a great movie, and it's so fun pointing out things that you recognize on campus and to see how things have changed in Bloomington then compared to now.
SO excited for all the movie nights I get to have with my friends! FRIENDS & FUNI was lucky enough to have the best floormates a girl could ask for. As a matter of fact, As I'm writing this blog entry, we're making plans with each other for when we get back in a 6 person group iMessage. I miss being able to go into my floormate's room, and watch TV, complain about an assignment, or to talk about how hot Will Sheehey is. The best part is that I could go talk to them about absolutely anything and we supported each other through everything. Come hell, high water or a guy being a huge jerk and not texting back right away.
We'd make dinner and bake, study, walk to Kirkwood, go to the mall, get lost and not know where we were because the bus system confused us, have obnoxious sing-alongs, laugh over nothing, take ugly selfies, be a shoulder to cry on, go to sporting events, order Chinese at Fortune Cookie after finishing our homework, and come across the most interesting people together. I can't wait to make more memories with them, and make more friends along the way.
I know people are going to think I'm crazy for saying this, but I miss going to class. Not every class was fun, but I can honestly say that I learned something new every day. It was especially fun learning about something that would relate to my life or to my other classes. Every project I did in class helped me put together the big picture of whatever I was learning. For example, in my J210: Visual Communications class, I learned how to effectively convey a message via video. I learned how to navigate through Final Cut Pro. I then used my skills with Final Cut Pro to make a video for my T101: Intro to Media class, where I made a video with a partner to talk about the importance of consciousness in the use of social media.
It isn't a perfect video, but I knew how to use the program. I had fun with my friends while filming it, and we had a few good discussions about the use of safe social media use. It's just little things that add up together that help you prepare for your future. I'm ready to go to class, write for the newspaper, go to club meetings and overall prepare for my future. I'm ready.
Senioritist hit me HARD in high school, and I was so ready for it to be summer and to go to college. At times during college, I wished for it to be summer.. but honestly, the first week being back in my hometown, I was over summer. Now, I can't wait to go back to school.
..... It's my second home nowEvery time I was home from school for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring Break, I saw my hometown a little differently every time. It's a mix of appreciation of where I'm from and the feeling of being ready to go back to Bloomington.
I love being back home for the fact that it's very comfortable and familiar. I love to spend time with my wonderful family and my lovely friends that I've known since grade school and high school. I love to drive my car to places I could get to blind-folded because I've lived here most of my life. I love being able to see so many familiar faces, such as teachers and others who have seen me grow up. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love it. But then I talk to my family, friends, and others about how epic my freshman year was, and I just miss it. I tell them about the late-night Taco Bell runs, the close-call basketball games, the 2AM heart-to-hearts in my dorm room, the crazy friends I've made, the wild night outs, and the one time my floormate accidentally tipped the Pizza X delivery guy like $50 (like seriously Emily, how did you manage to do that? And we live at Teter, that's like a 3 minute walk..), and I just miss it.
I think about the things I've learned, the unforgettable people I've met, the great memories I made, and the things I've experienced in Bloomington, I just can't wait to be back and see what's in store for me when I get back.
How truly lucky I am to not only have something so hard to say goodbye to, but to have something so wonderful to look forward to coming back to.