The impressive and sometimes daunting size of Indiana University - Bloomington is one of its distinguishing characteristics. “
During my first semesters at IU I thought I was going insane because of how huge the school is,” said one junior. But most students insist they wouldn’t want it any other way: the opportunities, the diversity of people, the range of classes would all be affected if the school shrank. Not to mention the vibrant social life for which the school is famous.
IU is home to the famous Little 500, a bicycle race modeled on the Tour de France. That, as one senior puts it, is “one weekend worth a 4, 5, hopefully not 6 year college decision. A party that rivals Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Honeymoons in Vegas, and Spring Break on South Padre Island Texas. "Drinking galore--drinking tickets even more." The police get a little heavy, but that is expected when you have DMX, Three 6 Mafia, and the Ying Yang twins in town.” The rest of the year is more low-key, although not by much. Says one freshman, “though we are a 'dry' campus, it doesn't show (note the popular "Dry Campus / My Ass" tee shirts from Greetings on Kirkwood). There is a party pretty much every night, whether in the frats or a house on Grant.” A number of students complain about the constant partying, which is largely spearheaded by the frats and sororities, while others insist that the Greeks get a bad rap. According to one senior, “I would say that our Greek community has a largely positive presence. Fraternities and sororities are known by their philanthropy as much or more than they are known for their partying or anything else.”
Regardless, the consensus is that students don’t have to get drunk to have a good time. There are always events on campus—high-profile speakers, concerts, plays, free movie screenings. Culturally, thanks to the top-rated School of Music, the campus is, according to one junior, “a mini Lincoln Center! There are literally a thousand performances to attend each year which include recitals, operas, ballets, orchestras, bands and more!” And, of course—this is a Big Ten school, after all—there are sports. The high-profile games cost money, but many of the other excellent varsity games don’t, and tailgating is free. Indianapolis isn’t far away for those with cars and Bloomington is a much more vibrant college town than most. “It isn't like the campus is a completely separate entity from the town because a lot of people walk through campus to get to town, and it's kind of like walking in a park. There are also a lot of events on campus that townspeople can attend as well, and students spend time off campus to get away from school,” says one senior. “Campus and downtown are within walkable distance, so it's easy to get around on foot, by bus, or bike.”
The fact that classes tend to be good—if, necessarily, large—helps students keep one foot on the ground. According to one junior econ major, “Our music school usually contends with Julliard for the top school in the country. Our business school is currently ranked fifth out of all state business schools, and our foreign language department is one of the most highly-ranked programs in the country.” One sophomore international relations major and religious studies minor says, “The amount of participation and interaction students engage in during classes is much higher than I had expected. Students want to get everything they can out of a course.” And professors are mostly cited as being responsive and engaged, willing to get to know anyone who comes to office hours.
The student body is diverse, especially for the Midwest, which helps keep conversation interesting both inside and outside the classroom. There are sizable hippie, Jewish, GLBT, minority, and international communities. One junior illustrates the range of students this way: “When you head into the union building, you may find yourself stopped by Mormon missionaries (it happened to me every Friday), and once you leave out on the other side, you may find yourself going through an "embrace diversity" rally.” Although tension arises between the in-state kids and the East Coasters and between the more outspoken conservatives and liberals, many students claim to appreciate the differences of opinion. “Being a conservative person from the south I can say that going to IU has really taught me lessons in tolerence of other people's views, due to the fact that the town of Bloomington is very liberal to say the least, but that being said people are respectful for the most part of other's views and opinions,” says one junior.
Most students, ultimately, can’t say enough good things about their experiences at IU. Essentially, says one junior, you can’t go wrong: “If you are looking for an intense academic environment, then IUB is the school for you. If you are looking for a big campus filled with...diversity and opportunities, then IUB is the school for you. If you want a well-rounded experience, then IUB is the school for you.” Another junior concurs, “Although some people may think that Indiana's campus resembles Hogwarts, to me, it is better. It truly is a magical place.”
