Indiana University-Bloomington Top Questions

The best thing about going to IU is the close sense of community within Bloomington. Bloomington was recently ranked as the number one college town in the United States and for good reason. Not only does Bloomington have a great attitude, but it has everything that a student could ask for. We've got one of the, as ranked by the travel channel, top ten best pizza places in the nation, a full featured mall, over 30 different ethnic and American style restaurants that are NOT chains, and a great set of bars that are each as different as they are entertaining. IU also has a beautiful campus that is big but manages to feel small because of the number of sports and activities that can cater to an individual's needs and wants. IU has a lot of school pride because of our great Big Ten Basketball (five time NCAA champs) and Soccer (seven time NCAA champs) teams! However, no description of IU or Bloomington is complete without mentioning The Little 500! Little Five, as it's affectionately nicknamed, is an annual men and women's bicycle race that takes place at Armstrong memorial stadium during the second week of April. Little Five has been described by many national writers and newspapers as "The Greatest College Weekend in the US." If you need anymore information rent the academy award winning film "Breaking Away" and you'll understand why. All said IU brings everything one could want to the table and then some!

Typical college town. I spend most of my time in the library when I'm on campus. When I tell someone that I go to IU, they always have a connection to someone else who has gone here. They say that they love the campus. There is tons of school pride here, everyone wears IU shirts to class.

Precisely, its big! Probably among the biggest campuses in America. Why does this matter? Not only can you find what you're looking for (even if you don't know what it is yet), but you can also enhance and explore your major by making it relevant to the rest of the world and areas of study. For example, as a music major I'd probably do myself a favor taking a few music buisiness and management courses from the buisness school.

I am in love with Indiana University. I think that there is a lot of cohesiveness on campus--friendly faces are everywhere. I love the huge campus and overwhelming sense of Hoosier Pride you find at IU basketball games--something that can't be rivaled. I love the limestone buildings and "collegiate" feel of the campus. One of the best things about IU is that it offers something for everyone. There are tons and tons of free activities, shows etc all the time, not to mention a wide variety of clubs, sports and other activites.

Bloomington, like any college, is rife with opportunity. It's all about recognizing what you want out of your college experience and finding the right tools and people to get it done. If you're into the party...we can accommodate. Likewise, if you're looking to get some work done and gain experience in whatever it is you think you came here for (you'll find a mild identity crisis nearly every year), there really is an unlimited amount of opportunity regardless of what field you're in.

- The best thing about IUB is that there is ALWAYS something to do here, and someone to do it with you! - If you look at the numbers, or at the sheer size of the campus, you'd think that IUB is way too big. The truth is that you immediately start meeting people and as semesters pass, it becomes more and more difficult to go somewhere and NOT see someone you know! You can be anonymous here if you want to be, but you can also be as involved and as well-known as you want to be. - I spend a lot of time on-campus in the residence halls...I've lived in a res hall all 4 years I've been here (I've been a Resident Assistant for 3 of those years). It's a lot of fun because you can close your door and have time to yourself, you can head somewhere in the building to study, you can hang out in your floor lounge with a lot of other people, and you can always find someone to eat dinner with you! A lot of people can't wait to get out of the res halls, but I love being with so many people...and just close my door if I want to be alone! - Bloomington is a GREAT college town. People are mostly receptive of college students and have appreciation for IUB as a whole. Bloomington is hard to describe because it's nothing like you'd expect a Southern Indiana town to be like -- it's mostly open-minded, a little bit artsy and offbeat, and a lot of fun! - Is there a lot of school pride? I'm not sure you could find a school with more pride than IU! There are a lot of students here who grew up as IU fans and that life-long pride sticks with them.. In the case of people who never gave IU much of a thought before their junior year of high school, well, the pride is contagious :) - IU Administration is pretty student-oriented. It's really good to feel like you have a voice even though the school is so big. -

The best thing about IU is the opportunity. There are so many choices of majors and classes to choose from. I can be overwhelming, but at the same time, it let's you have every option of what you want to do in your future.

I love IU. The size is a definite asset. When I decided I wanted to work in a lab, I had over fifty to chose from. Within a month I was working in a lab without any previous experience. I love the school pride.

Best thing: All f the ways to get involved. I love going to a big school with big sports and a lot of academic and extracurricular options. Many people from my high school and community came to IUB, so they always know about my school and can engage in conversation. The biggest recent controvery on campus was the allegations against basketball coach Kelvin Sampson, and I believe it was handled appropriately. Students here have a lot of school pride, and IU apparel can be seen all across campus.

The best thing about IUB is that you'll always find something to do and someone to do it with. Campus is buzzing with activity 24/7, and downtown bloomington is wild. This is a benefit you only get with a big school--small schools have things to do, but fewer options. The college town helps make the big school smaller, too, because it's so small but so exciting. As for classes, you can pick so many routes and there are easy majors and hard majors, and, like anywhere, your education is what you make of it. Everyone is here to help too. There's so much school pride--on the way to class EVERYOne is wearing an IU shirt or something. It's like a college out of a movie.

The best thing about IU is the amount of ways to get involved that it offers. There honestly is something for everyone to do. For me, there really isn't much I would change except for the ridiculous parking policies around campus and the amount of tickets issued. I think my school is just right. Yes it is big but it makes it that much more enjoyable to explore. Honestly, everytime I tell someone that I attend IUB they react with, "Ohh, the campus is so beautful!" I spend most of my time at the Indiana Daily Student writing articles and taking pictures, or in the Indiana Memorial Student Cunion ceramics studio. I think the administration is a little uptight but for the most part they are reasonable. My most recent controversy on campus has been the IU Campus-wide Smoking Ban. It has sparked alot of mixed opinions from students and faculty. We have alot of school pride!!! One experience I will always remember at IU is the first time I looked in the newspaper and saw one of my photos that I took got published.

When I tell people I go to Indiana, I most often get either a question of "Are you a big basketball fan?" or "So what exactly is a 'Hoosier'?" The latter I cannot really answer confidently without some serious research. But it is quite hard to pinpoint just one of my favorite things about Indiana. The campus is breathtaking. I used to live right by Kirkwood, which is the nightlife of Indiana, and I was in perfect walking distance of campus as well as Kirkwood. It doesn't really get much better than that. I would say that I spend most of my time either on Kirkwood or sitting on the grass by the Arboretum. The weather is a bit Jekyll-and-Hyde-like, but when it's warm, it's wonderful. The town itself is a total "college-town," until summer-break happens, where the town is almost deserted. However, in those 9 months of school Bloomington is definitely the place to be. School pride is incredible, mostly when it comes to either Basketball or "Little 5," the infamous Bike race that occurs every spring on campus. Although I am currently studying in Spain, I have several friends from Indiana here with me, and IU is a very popular topic of conversation for us, anywhere and everywhere. We are currently planning a Little 5 party, seeing as we are quite depressed about missing it this year. Again, I think it may be too difficult to pinpoint just one experience that has changed my life forever. The school in general has. The people are genuinely happy to be there, and the love of the University as a whole is empowering for me as a student there to think that I am a part of it all. Although some people may think that Indiana's campus resembles Hogwarts, to me, it is better. It truly is a magical place.

The school is big and its nice. You always meet new people when you go out, and there are a lot of different people from different backgronds with all different interests. Most of my time on campus is spent around the dorms and friends places. The weekends are spent out at the frats since im a freshman, but most upper classmen are either around at the bars or house parties. There is a lot of school pride here, and we are REALLY into our sports.

The best thing about Indiana are the opportunities. There are so many different things you can pursue. The first semester I spent in bloomington I was shy and didn't really make friends too well and kinda just stuck to myself but at the beginning of second semester a friend from where I work on campus invited me to this Fraternity party and I never had the best view of what fraternity life would be like but I ended up going to the party and the choice I made to go to that party was the best thing I have ever done in my life other than choosing to come to IU and become a hoosier. If I could change one thing it would be my housing decision. I lived in a single person dorm room and I think that was a poor decision on my part. I don't really think that you should room with someone you know but I think if you can live with someone you don't know it would be an interesting and growing experience. The size of IU is one of its greatest features. There are so many students that go to IUB but the great thing is that it can still have that smaller school feel. Its great for meeting a ton of new people but I believe that the size of campus is one of the best parts about IU When I tell people that I go to Indiana University I will get tend to get a positive reaction. Anyone who is up to date about the quality of universities around the nation will know that IU is a high quality school. In the last two years or so the school has increased the enterance standards as a result of all the interest of incoming freshman to become a part of Indiana. When I am on campus I am usually down at ground zero where all the building are that hold classes or at the president of my fraternities house seeing that we are an off campus fraternity (which I would highly recommend). Bloomington is a college town for sure because you can step past the sample gates and be in downtown Bloomington. Whenever I drive into Bloomington after being away for awhile I get the picture of the first time I came to school when I moved into the dorms. I was so nervous but just driving into Bloomington just calmed me down and the feel of the town is great its one of those things you just can't get anywhere else in the world I think the administration of IUB is kinda frazzled sometimes in that it seems like things could be run better but I think that is mostly because students voices are heard and it can be difficult to accomidate everyone. A huge part of the happenings at IU are student run the school doesn't just baby you and take care of you they help you grow up and do stuff yourself so if there is something you want... do it im sure that there will be a way or someone to help you understand how. I'm going to put school pride and recent controversy together and say that Kelvin Sampson was one of the biggest controversies on campus this year. The funny thing about it was that all over sportscenter and the news they were talking about the feelings of the students on campus and they said that everyone wanted him to go but it wasn't really like that. Alot of the students still really stood up for Sampson because he was still our coach and until someone told us that he was no longer a hoosier most people still stood behind him. For the most part the student of Indiana University stand behind there school and have alot of school pride. IU has its unique features like Little 500 is a big thing. Also there are painting bridges around IU that organizations will paint. The paint bridges actually have so many layers of paint that the paint is starting to crack and you can see down to tons of different layers. But nothing about campus really seems unusual anymore its just IU its just home. I can't think of just one thing that I will always remember because I know there will be alot of things ill forget and alot of things ill never forget but I know when I look back on this time and this place I will be positive that I chose the best school and I will always have great memories of IU. The thing about students complaints is you don't really hear alot about people being upset with IU there are always gonna be stresses from class and work and your parents but I don't hear people complaining about IU very much honestly.

Best thing about IUB? The gorgeous campus, the thriving social scene, the amazing academics, and the opportunity to enjoy all 3 of these things as an IUB student :) What would I change? I'd make the admission standards even higher. I wish I could find more serious and studious academics on campus. Size? IU is huge. And perfect that way. When I tell people to go to IUB, they say "it's too far away!" Most of my old friends are on the east coast, though there are a LOT of east coasters here. Bloomington, or as most know it, B-town is THEE college town. I'm not going to spoil it for you, you just need to come experience it for yourself. But it's centered around IU. Without IU, there wouldn't be a B-town. IUB's administration is very knowledgeable and qualified. I think it could be hiring better teachers in the chem & math departments, and a few in bio, but who am I to complain? Makes it challenging, haha. Biggest/most recent controversy on campus? People want a basketball student section, but who know if we'll ever get one. Also the whole Kelvin Sampson incident... eh..... School pride? Tons of it. It provides a unified feeling, as though you have something in common with a stranger you don't even know-- but you;re both hoosiers. Unusual about IUB? Well, you can make your own major, which is pretty rare and pretty great. Also our buildings are made from limestone. And the Dalai Lama's brother lives in Bloomington, so he visits (though rarely.) One experience I'll always remember? It hasn't happened yet, but it is bound to be the week of Little 500!! Most frequent student complaints? Chem department, math department, parking issues (it's hard to get a spot around here), price of textbooks, lack of a fall break, no bbal student section, no weekend health center hours, expensive dorm food.

IUB is an absolutely amazing school in a wonderful college town. School pride is high, we're all about being a Hoosier and being against the hated Purdue.

From the start, IU struck me as a HUGE school. So many buildings, so many people, so many ridiculous ways for me to get lost ... but after a few weeks, campus started to become a lot smaller. I actually got to know my way around and started recognizing some people here and there. This is a very educational place, you see: besides the knowledge I gained in classes, I learned that the letters on the buses serve a purpose- they are not just actively reminding us that the alphabet exists. I learned that the different colors on the map are not merely there to spice it up and make it more colorful. I learned that the whole "do not drink in your room" thing is not simply a suggestion, but a rule, and I learned that wherever I am, the stupid guys I have stupidly hooked up with will all stupidly be. It's truly amazing how easy it is to get acquainted with this campus. It's only spring semester of freshman year, but I have come to be incredibly comfortable here. Even though I still get lost from time to time, I am proud to say that I can confidently determine which bus will take me to my dorm and which one will take me to Ohio. I know where to hide the alcohol so the RAs (or my parents) do not find it when they make rounds, and I have dyed my hair in order to avoid the assholes and stalkers of Welcome Week past. Everything has worked out splendidly. I would not want to be anywhere else.

The best thing about IU is the diversity. Sure, you might think that you want to go to a school where everyone shares your likes and dislikes and people that generally annoy you are nowhere to be found, but in all honesty, it is nice to have a healthy mix of people around. It's more lively and exciting that way! If I could change anything I'd probably wish that Greek like wasn't SO dominant here. Sure, you can avoid it pretty well, but it definitely has its influence on campus. I think the school is the perfect size, actually. It has all the benefits of a large Big Ten University, but to me, it doesn't feel overwhelming. I know the campus well and it only takes about 10 minutes to walk across it, and once you find your niche, it doesn't feel too big--it's comfortable. Most people seem somewhat impressed when I tell them I go to IU because it is a Big Ten University, so obviously we have great academics, arts, and sports. I spend most of my time either in my dorm, at the Union, or at the radio station. Bloomington is DEFINITELY a college town, but it's not just dominated by bars. It's got great shopping, it's eclectic, it has great ethnic dining (especially great for those who eat organic or are vegan/vegetarian), and it's wonderfully supportive of the arts. There's always something to do. The administration feels a bit removed from students sometimes, but it's never bothered me to a point where I feel the need to try and address it. The biggest recent controversy was surrounding the Men's basketball coach Kelvin Sampson. It was a HUGE deal here. IU has more school pride than most other schools I have been to. It's quite nice. The unusual thing is that IU feels almost like a Big Ten University with the ethics and values of a Liberal Arts college. They are very accommodating and you find that you can explore your education to your heart's content. And it's a great mix of people here. It isn't just dominated by sports lovers or arts kids. One experience I'll always remember is my work at the radio station, WIUX. It has allowed me to indulge in my passion for music and get completely hands-on to host my own show. I have learned more about the music industry through my time there, and it's a great tie to the school AND community, and I've met wonderful people there. Most complain about the amount of work they have, but that's usually in science classes and should be expected I guess. Others would say the smoking ban, but I don't care one way or another.

The best thing about IU is the variety of everything from people to classes. It's hard to get bored with IU. But one thing I would change about IU is how bureaucratic the school is with charging some ridiculous fees that you rarely benefit from to sticking it to you on parking. IU housing will definitely rip you off. I've spent most of my time in different dorms hanging out with friends, studying, or playing halo. IU is definitely in a college town, but sometimes you don't really notice it. IUB's administration? Some things could stand to change, but people who don't really have that much authority are very nice and very helpful.

Being at a large school like IU has innumerable advantages; there are thousands of things to do, ways to get involved, and people to meet. Despite the stereotypes, there is a lot of diversity of interests at IU (I, for one, have never been to an IU basketball game, and I'm not ashamed to admit it). The town of Bloomington itself has amazing cultural opportunities - we get a lot of great bands at the Buskirk-Chumley, a local downtown theater. Although being at a large university means more bureaucracy and red tape, it also means there are more administrators trying to make you happy. My experiences with student government have shown me that administrators are more than willing to take student input into consideration when forming educational policies.

There is a lot of opportunity here.

the school is sized just right. i spend most of my time on campus at the frats, the dorm, the football/basketball game. Bloomington is the original college town. biggest controversy is the firing of coach Sampson. there is tons of school spirit. the dorm living is an experience you will always remember only complaints is not the best food

The best thing about IUB is the people you get to meet. I've met so many wonderful people who share common interests as me. It's large but the large campus allows you to explore your many oppurtunities. When I tell people I go to IUB they automatically assume that I'm a huge partier, which is far from the truth. I spend a lot of time in my residence hall hanging out with my friends or studying. Bloomington is a very lovely college town. That's what made me come here in the first place. Kirkwood is a really neat place to go to get food, hang out, and shop. There is a lot of school pride here at IUB. There are plenty of fans at the sporting events and people seem to rally well for certain events. The IU Purdue football game in 2007 is a memory that will never leave me, we won. Smoking on campus is a huge complaint, something that was supposedly aboloished, however, students still smoke on campus.

The best thing about IUB is the beauty of the campus. Although most of the school years is in the cold, winter months, the tall limestone buildings against the towering green trees make for a magnificent walk anywhere on campus. Although very large, IUB is the perfect size for me. I love walking to class with thousands of others, having a great variety of friends from every neighborhood, but still be able to have relatively small class sizes. IUB is a great place to come to if you want to be in an amazing college town. The surrounding area really caters to the students of IUB and therefore everywhere you could possibly want to get off campus to, is within walking distance!

IUB is amazing because there are so many diverse people. I love the comrodery that IUB has with all of its sports and just the spirit in general.

The best aspect of IUB is our size. There are so many opportunities and groups to be a part of. The risk, however, is that if you are not an out-going person it can be hard to adjust during your freshman year. But, most people find their niche and enjoy all four years at IU. Another plus about IU is Bloomington--by far the most liberal and cosmopolitan town in Indiana. With great restaurants, entertainment, shopping, and bars, if you're ever bored at IU (not likely) all you have to do is take one step off campus and enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of Kirkwood (the main drag in Bloomington). The only thing I would change about IU is its reputation. True, it is a party school, but even the partiers here have to study and work hard. Don't come to IU if all you want to do is drink--have higher ambitions.

I think IU is a little too big for me, but that's personal for everyone. As far as a college town goes, Bloomington is pretty nice: Lots of good restaurants and shops. The traffic is terrible and takes a lot of getting used to though. There is definitely something lacking in IUB's administration as a whole. They seem to like to make things as difficult as possible and no department talks to the other so it's is incredibly, and almost unbelievably easy to get extremely wrong information if you go to the wrong place which is very easy to do. I think there is a lot of school pride. Pretty similar to all of the Big Ten schools. The most frequent complaint I hear as a freshman are about the dorms, which truly are terrible, especially in the Northwest neighborhood. Most that I have been in are old and definitely showing their age. For the most part the rooms are big though which is a plus if you don't mind the occasional three to four inch cockroach, excessively hot temperatures, and nasty bathrooms.

The best thing about IUB is the campus. While some people think it's too big, I like how it's laid out and how beautiful the architecture is. If I could change one thing about IUB it would be the number of busses. While it seems like there are already a lot of them, I still find myself not getting onto a bus, or standing on top of someone because it's so crowded. When I tell people I go to IUB, depending on where they're from or what other college they attend, the response is either "WOO! PARTY SCHOOL!" or "Man, fuck IUB. GO PURDUE!!" When I'm on campus I normally just hang out in my dorm. There's school pride everywhere. When people go as far as buying red and white umbrellas you know they love their school. One experience I'll always remember is the first time I went to a party. Students were jumping out of windows. Shit was out of control.

The best thing about IUB are the choices. But the one thing I would change would be equal financial aid to programs. I believe some programs, such a business, recieve more money, whereas other programs do not get that same luxury. I think IUB is a little too big, but this fact does not bother me. When people find out I go to IUB they are suprised becuase most people imagine me going to a small fine arts school instead. I spend most of my time in my dorm and classes. I go out on weekends but I stay fairly close. I have a problem with the administration and the weather here. There have been many days that school has continued even when there is a thick layer of ice on the ground and people are falling and hurting themselves. The most recent controversy on campus has been the scandal and firing of Kelvin Sampson, the boy's basketball coach. There is a lot of school pride here. Everyday I will be walking to class and notice a bunch of students wearing IU shirts.

The best thing about IUB is the fact that there is always something going on and plenty of fun things for everyone to do. I also love the college town feel that Bloomington gives off. If I could change one thing about IU I would eliminate all 8am classes. IU is perfect in size, because although there are lots of students it never feels overcrowded or overwhelming. I love the fact that Bloomington is a very college oriented town. The bus system is great, and everything is so close together that it is convenient to get anywhere. One experience that I will never forget about IU is all of the friends that I have made. I have met so many people here and the girls that live on my floor have become my family away from home.

I love IU because of its beautiful campus, good education, friendly people, and the atmosphere for athletics. I think IU is just the right size and is situated in a nice small college town. There is a ton of school pride and I know little to nothing about our administration. When I tell people I go to IU they ask how I like it, and how the parties are. I love it and the parties are excellent.

I love being at IU. I have met so many great people here. There are a ton of opportunities to get involved in campus organizations. For the most part, I think other students love being here also. Students in general are proud of the school, and this school pride is especially displayed at sporting events, which are so much fun!

The best thing about IUB is that it has everything you can imagine. If there was one thing I'd change, however, it would be to perhaps improve the quality of dorm life (the cleanliness and the food selection in particular). Although IUB is huge, I love the size, and I there is no one area that I can say I spend most of my time. When I tell people I go to school here, they usually ask why, because I got into a number of prestigious universities, and I always tell them that IUB is the best value for what you pay (especially for me, because I'm in the business school). Bloomington is 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} a college town; it's absolutely beautiful, exactly the kind of place in which I've always wanted to live. The administration here is outstanding and enthusiastic about helping students have the best college experience they can provide.

The diversity of the campus and the wonderful scenery are, by far, the best thing(s) about IU. I would change the size of the university's buildings, have larger spaces for academic areas and remodel current classrooms to make them conducive to a better learning atmosphere. The school is too small at times, too large at others. People love the fact the I go to IU, there most frequent question is to tell them how beautiful the campus is. IU is definitely a college town. The administration is open to student interaction and take student opinion into considerations when making decisions. IU is the HOME of HOOSIER PRIDE and it is seen everywhere throughout the school, from the storied Assembly Hall to tailgating before football games, Cream and Crimson are the dominant colors seen when passing other students walking through campus.

I think the best thing about IUB, for me anyways, is the campus. It's so beautiful in almost any time of the year that it becomes very easy to get taken away and just want to stay on campus. On top of that, they have so many cozy areas that you can study at, especially in the union, that it makes it hard to even want to get off campus. If there is one thing that I could change, is that I would try to update several of the classrooms and buildings that are not the business school. I feel like some of the other buildings on campus aren't given the proper amount of attention that they deserve. Though the business school is one of the top in the nation, I think it still would be helpful if other buildings such as Ballantine received a drastic make over. As far as siz is concerned, our campus is just right. At times it may seem too large, but when you think about it, it's perfect for getting the feel of being on your own in a place you are unfamiliar with. People don't really react with anything unless they are a Purdue alum or fan. Then usually you will get into a 5 minute discussion on why each school is better than the other. I spend a lot of time at the union when I am on campus because we have a place where I can grab lunch or some coffee for a pick me up. Sometimes you can even find a place to nap. I'm most comfortable there. Bloomington is definitely a college town. Drinking is pretty prevalent on the weekends and many of the rumors of being a drinking town I would say are right. I have gone out on a Wednesday night just to listen to a band and been blown away at the number of people pouring in at 1 in the monring. Our bigget controversy recently has been the Kelvin Sampson debacle. Things have gotten dramatically better, though, since he was fired. I believe our school has a large amount of pride in anything and everything we do. I think the one great thing about our school is how well we can all come together when we need to. I will always remember my first year at IUB. It is filled with so many memories and my first chances of being on my own that I will never forget them.

There are so many great things about IU. The campus is absolutely gorgeous and looks breathtaking in the fall or after a peaceful snow. Though it is such a huge school, it has a way of feeling small as you get to know the people you live with, go to class with, and pass every day on the way to class. I spend a lot of time on campus in the Memorial Union, whether I'm grabbing a meal or some coffee or doing homework. Bloomington is also a great college town, with lots of shops, restaurants, and bars downtown. With so many people and so much going on, you'll always be able to find something to do.

The best thing about IU is the campus. The university does an unbelieveable job of making the campus look beautiful with the arboretum and amount of trees everywhere. With one of the largest student unions in the country and the great architecture with the limestone buildings, the campus speaks for itself. The school has 28,000+ students, but it never felt that big. The school has FIGs (Freshman Interest Groups) where you live with people that you take classes with. This really helped me make fast friends and see a lot of familiar faces. On top of the hundreds of organizations, fraternities, clubs, and activities, I always felt like there were ways to get involved and find my group of friends. The class sizes ranged from around 30 students to 200 or so, but as you get further along in your education, the class sizes will be smaller. Bloomington is definitely a college town. It has a small time feel, and the school pretty much is the town. The biggest recent controversy on campus has been the cheating scandal within the IU basketball program. IU Basketball is the lifeblood of the state, and when there was a some poor judgements by the coaching staff, it created a lot of commotion among the Hoosier faithful. With that said, there is a lot of school pride. Students and alumni care deeply about the school. When I would tell people that I went to IU, I would always hear about how they knew someone else that went there and loved it. I have never heard of anyone who went to IU and didn't like it. It's like the best kept secret in the heart of America.

I believe the best thing about IU is the campus atmosphere. The people are friendly, the campus is beautiful, and it's close to anything you could possibly want. It's a large campus in a small town. It's not hard to find your own place at IU because of the hundreds of campus organizations. Almost everyone here is a basketball fan, and with that comes a lot of school pride. We've recently lost our men's basketball coach, Kelvin Sampson, but even that can't stop a team that has won 5 national titles. The only thing on the campus that can really compete with basketball in terms of popularity is the Little 500 bike race. One of the things every student must do while at IU is watch "Breaking Away", a movie involving the race. The weekend of the Little 500 is considered to be the biggest college weekend in the country. The campus support of this event is huge. Nearly every fraternity and sorority, and a lot of other organizations, puts up a team. I am a Little 500 rider, so during the spring, I'll spend about two hours a night with my team practicing on the track. When I tell people that I go to IU, I usually end up talking about a mixture of what events the music school is hosting and what the night life is like here. The best thing about this university is that you can choose your own experience. If you want to be in a broadway-style musical, you can. If you want to go to some fantastic parties, you can do that too. At IU, your experience is reallly what you make it.

Living: The student population of IU is huge. But, it doesnt feel that way. If you come from the east coast, like I did, or the Chicago area live in the Northwest neighborhood. These are the McNutt, Foster, and Briscoe dorms and they are mostly filled with people from the East or Chicago. They are party dorms. Lots of fun, people getting drunk most of the week. There are decent people in all neighborhoods, but thats the one I would stick to if you have a similar background to me (aka coming from a major city a looking for a true 'college experience'). I had a friend that lived in Wright dorm and on a saturday night most people were asleep and in for the night starting at 11. Its an option... not one I would take lol The people: As i pretty much mentioned in the living the Northwest is mostly people from major city areas. They are loud, fun, and generally party people. I have met the typical "hick" most people from outside Indiana would associate with this state. However, living in the midwest and in most of my classes almost everyone I encounter is not a hick. *keep in mind approximately 40{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of this school is from out of state, so that means that there are literally thousands of students from out of state. More students that make up the entirety of most small/medium liberal arts schools. *Also Indiana kids are often not that bad lol, they get a bad rep. The sports: Football, ok, we suck. We are getting better though! Anyways, thats not the point. To quote most college students across the country "we pre-game harder than you party." The difference when we say it in comparison with everyone else is, it's true. Tailgate at IU before a football game could not be put into words. I will try. Thousands of students and alumni flood the huge fields across from the stadium, beer and hard liquor are everywhere. Frats, sororities, and individuals have gotten to the fields early to claim a plot of land. Everyone is welcome. Beer is more than plentiful. Beer pong, friends, once i saw a grandma beer bong out of a strange flamingo beer bong. Yes. It happened while a crowd gathered around cheering "go grandma go grandma" i think it sums it up. We are BIG TEN. We have crazy fans and crazy rivalry. The basketball team is amazing. Assembly hall is unbeatable. 17,000 fans screaming for your school. Its an experience that cannot be replicated. IU: Great party school. Really fun.

The best thing about IUB is it's academic diversity. I'd get rid of Greek Life, so that the people who belong to sororities and fraternities wouldn't end up in my classes and ask dumb questions all the time and come in drunk. The school is just right. It's hard to get to know people, but if it was smaller, there would be less opportunities available. When I tell people I go to IUB, half of them laugh and ask if I do anything but drink, and the other half are impressed because of the IU language program (which is absolutely amazing with over 40 languages!) Most of my time is spent in the Union, studying, eating, meeting friends. It's a college town. IUB's administration does a decent job even though they have so many students to deal with. The recent big controversy on campus was the smoking ban, which is a limitation of civil liberties and personal freedom. Everyone at IU loves IU. It's the only campus I've ever been to where everyone wears IU gear all the time. IUB is unusual because of all the languages taught. I currently take Russian and Hungarian, and will start Turkish my senior year. The most frequent student complaints are that some AIs don't speak English well.

During my first semesters at IU I thought I was going insane because of how huge the school is. If you go somewhere like this you have to know how to look for and find friends. I'm happy now but I still think I could have found, or spent more time with, a wider variety of people. It's great that there are so many types of people, and I think that there is someone for everyone at a school like this but it can be a huge challenge to find them. I'm a member of the GLBT community so I immediately pursued social opportunities with that community, and I have made some friends through various GLBT-related organizations, most of my best friends have come through my very active residence hall community. My residence hall, Collins, has a lot of stereotypes, like that we're hippies and maybe stoners too. While there's some truth to this, I've actually found that Collins people are really active. Hippies, maybe, in that there's a serious contingent of people who care for the earth and want to make the world better. People probably smoke pot but then they join a bunch of organizations and are really involved in the community. Collins also has a serious respect for diversity going on that I cherish. I was out in high school but when I got to IU I was ready for EVERYONE to know I was gay and Collins was the perfect context to do that. I think even if I weren't GLBT it would be a good place to come into my own. Collins people are really pretty normal and fun...Collins has totally, totally, MADE my experience at IU. I would be completely lost and depressed without this amazing community.

The best thing about IUB is the academics. Almost every particular school here is exceptional, and the academic support is great. When I tell people I go to IUB, they usually ask me how much I party. Which sounds cool at first, but definitely gets old! Bloomington is definitely a college town. Everything here is IU related in some way or another, which is great. However, without a car, it's easy to feel "stuck" on campus. The biggest controversy on IUB? Our basketball coaches! (Bobby Knight, now Kelvin Sampson.) It's all you ever hear about! There is not a lot of football pride, but the basketball program is a real source of student and faculty pride. Being a Hoosier means you care more about shot percentages than touchdowns.