Finals Fun

While some might sit in a library or computer lab and stress over writing a final paper, or memorizing books' worth of facts--and while I will have to do this for my academic classes, too-- Finals Week is just one more reason I love being a dance major.


The majority of finals for our dance classes are fun--a performance, and a celebration of everything we have learned over the two semesters. For example, my Improvisation class was split into three groups and each were assigned a site-specific project in which you collectively choose a site on campus that inspires you, and create guidelines for a dance. The day of our final, we went around to each groups site and watched their improvisation.


One group danced in Dunn Woods, another at the Music School fountain across Jordan Ave. from Read, and my group danced outside and around the Beck Chapel. Some people might jump around in fountains just for fun at the end of the year, but we got to do it as a learning experience, which was one of the most beneficial assignments for me that we have done all year, making it the perfect final.


While the dancing outside was fun in itself, it was also fun to watch and interpret each group's inspiration they derived from their site. It made me realize how lucky I am to have been able to spend a year with these creative people and learn from them as well as my teachers, and also how lucky I was to be assigned to live in Read's Performing Arts Community two years in a row with many of these same people.

You've Got A Friend

In IU Residence Hall life, your Resident Assistant is not only a leader and overseer, but also a mentor, educator, community builder, and most importantly, a friend. By the end of the school year, most RA's have built relationships with each of their residents, and gotten to know them well. To celebrate a Wright RA's birthday on Monday, residents took her out to dinner.


The restaurant was Asuka, a Japanese sushi bar and habachi grill. RA's also always seem to be a great source of information on Bloomington restaurants and entertainment, since they plan so many programs. If you're looking for the right spot for you or just something to do, your RA would be a great help.




Her residents baked her a cookie cake of her favorite kind, oatmeal raising. In most residence halls, there is a mini kitchen on every other floor, with an oven and stove which are easy to use if you bring the right utensils from home. Covenience Stores, or "C Stores" sell a lot of birthday supplies, like frozen cakes, icing, etc. and you can use your meal points to buy them.

The Big Weekend

Last weekend was too action-packed not to mention, as two of the biggest events of my semester took place. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, Read was buzzing with energy from the performance of Hammer and Nail, an annual production by the Student Composer Association and IU Dance Theatre. With Read being a performing arts community, you can imagine what it was like having so many people leaving excited for dress rehearsals and shows, and coming back to the same place with the rush of having just performed.

The shows were Thursday and Friday night, two per night, at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater downtown on beautiful Kirkwood.

As if an end-of-semester performance was not enough excitement, Saturday was the Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure, which I was able to participate in with many of my family members since Bloomington is so close to Indianapolis. It is an amazing experience that I think everyone who lives in Bloomington should try at least once. While aspects of it are very sad, it is also a celebration of those who have defeated or are still living with breast cancer.


The weekend left me with a renewed sense of balance and perspective. I returned ready to knock out the last two weeks before finals and the end of the semester, not to mention take more notice and appreciation of all things pink, especially the beautiful red bud trees and tulips all over campus. Spring is definitely here.

Huge Fun at HUGE Fest 2010

Last weekend was one of my favorite Read traditions: HUGE Fest. This year the theme was luau, and the games, crafts, and concessions were even better than last year. I'd been looking forward to my second annual HUGE Fest since the day I moved back to B-Town in August!


There was every kind of entertainment one could dream of: from sumo wrestling, to blow-up obstacle courses, to a velcro wall, as well as crafts tables, live music, and cook outs. After burning off all your breakfast calories on the many games, there were constantly burgers and hot dogs on the grill, snow cones in the shade to cool off with, and a tropical-themed mocktail bar.


If I had to pick, I would have to say the sumo wrestling was my favorite. There is something about being tackled to the ground and not feeling a thing, and the hilarity of being stuck on the ground like a rolly-polly when you lose, that made the event a great last hurrah before Finals and Little 500.

Eating Right at Campus Sites

One thing I have noticed a lot more of this year is healthy food choices at RPS dining services.



The newly remodeled Dining Room at Read now includes an "Eat Right" line, with healthier alternatives that are changed both day to day, and from lunch to dinner, to provide students with a wide variety of nutritious options. The line usually offers some type of healthier meat, like chicken breast or fish, several vegetable options, and fresh fruit.



There is always a salad bar with fresh veggies, hummus, pita, and a variety of fruits including pineapple, mandarin oranges, or fruit salads. While there are less healthy options as well, like burgers or pizza for days you choose to endulge, if you plan on maintaining a healthy diet at IU, RPS dining services provides you with everything you need.


In addition to all the above, the Hoosier Cafe has also started offering things like fruit plates, soy milk, yogurt, and their own salad bar daily. El Bistro offers less fattening sandwiches, a vegetarian option, and build-your-own dagwoods to get all of what you want, and none of what you don't, as well as options like orange juice, fruits, and yogurts.

Spring at IU: Communities In Bloom

As the weather turns warmer, students are taking advantage of IU's beautiful campus. There are so many beautiful spots to hang out outdoors, and even walking to class seems like recreation instead of a chore.


One nice thing about living in Read is that it houses the Performing Arts Community, so as a dance major, I run into my friends from the department every day. We all have the same core classes so it is always easy to find a study buddy, and on nice days, you can take your studying outside and it becomes both relaxing and productive.


Yesterday I ran into Nicole, who was studying in Kinsey Hollow behind Read, one of my favorite spots, when two of our other friends from the dance program walked up from their Kinesiology class and we all studied together for a bit during our break between classes and rehearsals.

Spring Break 2010: Munster, IN

Many other bloggers would probably have titled their spring break blog something more exciting, like "Panama City Beach" or "Cancun 2010." While Munster may not be the most exciting spring break vacation spot, there was nowhere else I'd rather have been this year, because I got to come home and watch my brother play in Munster High School's Battle of the Bands.


He and I have played small shows and open mics together, but seeing him play in a full band competing with other groups and doing a really amazing job was the highlight of my spring break--the week isn't even over yet and I already know I can say this!



My brother, Michael, plays lead guitar and sings some, too. They played a lot of really challenging songs and pulled every one off great. I felt like both a proud parent and a paparazzi member sneaking up in front of the stage to get photos, but everything about this night was worth it, even though his band, Alterior Motives, didn't end up taking first place. There's always next year!

A Red Carpet Affair

Each residence hall at IU is great at covering national events in their own local ways. For example, two weeks ago, there was an Olympics viewing party with a special focus on diversity, and this past Sunday in the Beck Game Room, "A Night at the Oscars" took place.


The wait in line for the free food was well worth it, and the students who attended brought as much character to the event as the stars did to the Oscars!


I remembered this being one of my favorite events from last year, because everyone got to dress up, which you do not usually do walking around campus after rolling out of bed all week. The program was catered by Malibu Grill and had a Mocktail Bar for awesome drinks, complete with pineapple slices.

Cabin Fever Relief

For the past week, I have been studying for exams, and that studying marathon will not end until Spring Break. Luckily, I have family in Indianapolis, and was able to visit them Friday through Saturday afternoons. Getting to be in a different city and have new things to take pictures of was so exciting, and my brother, sister-in-law, and nieces were happy to help. I even got to climb on the roof of a building on the circle downtown to take photos!


Being around family and children was such a relief from all the studying and really helped to put my stresses in perspective. Playing dress-up and having dance parties and Wii tournaments, not to mention a home-cooked meal, was exactly what I needed until Sunday rolled around and I had to get back to Bloomington for rehearsals and more Anatomy A215 studying that will not end until this Friday!

If you want to make a trip to Indianapolis, there are shuttles that will take you to the Indianapolis airport from several locations on campus for $25. Indy is a great city to see, especially if you're an out-of-state student. It makes for a great weekend trip!

Student Society for Cancer Research at IU

A newly formed campus organization, started by my friend Caleb "Josh" Joshua Habimana-Griffin, is starting to plan its first activities for cancer research fundraising.


Since I was in Fort Wayne this weekend, I missed the club's second meeting. Ben Baroff, one of the club's event planners, met with me for lunch yesterday to fill me in on what I missed. We will be having 3-on-3 basketball tournaments, T-shirt and wrist band sales, and possibly a car wash to raise money to donate to the Jimmy V. Foundation, which goes directly to cancer research.


Be on the look out for our tables set up around campus in the next month, where you can sign up to volunteer at future events, purchase t-shits or wristbands, and make donations. Anyone can join, and the time commitment revolves around your schedule and how much you want to put in. Although it is a brand new organization, it's extremely inspirational to me, and every member's story as to why they joined is touching. To do good deeds, build volunteer work on your resume, or just for fun, sign up for the club today!

Let it Snow, Let Classes Be Cancelled!

The recent abundance of snow has transformed IU's campus to something we did not even see before the winter holiday break. Everything sparkles as I walk to class, and to keep my mind off the freezing cold water sopping in my shoes, admiring and appreciating the scenery brightens the cold days.
























The university's gardening provides perfect splashes of color against the perfect white snow, reminding me of and making me miss Christmas even as I look forward to Spring Break. These trees in the Arboretum are my favorite on snowy days like this, as well as the red berry trees without leaves on South Jordan Ave. outside Delta Gamma, across from Read.


For those who are not as crazy about snow as I am, at the very least, it is something pretty to look out your window at, and a reason to hope for cancelled classes. After all, we did have a snow day in late January of last year for the first time in about 40 years!

Laundry Day

While laundry may not be the most fun college experience you will have at IU, the bright side of laundry day is the convenience of the facilities.


The smallest laundry rooms in Read have 4-5 washers and 4-5 dryers, and Beck Wing's Large Laundry Room has 7 of each. That's around 22 of each throughout the entire building, in the basement. The laundry rooms are near lounges and El Bistro, so you can find a more comfortable place to read or study if you have a long time to wait for loads.


Washing one load costs $1.50, and drying costs $1.25, but if you use your Campus Access Card, the prices are reduced to $1.25 and $1, respectively. If you're lucky, the day you forget your card or quarters will be the day your friend is there with you to "swipe you," otherwise, the most inconvenient part is running back up and down stairs.


Laundry at college really isn't as bad as you might think as long as you don't let it pile up too high. My advice would also be to wash your clothes any day but Sunday, as it can be harder to find open machines.

Room to Live

One of the biggest fears prospective college freshmen have about going away to school is the cramped, uncomfortable, and lonely "dorm life." However, Read rooms are actually a good size for residence halls, and come with a bathroom shared with the next-door room. All residence halls provide furniture that is easily rearranged to fit your style.

Read rooms originally come with both beds bunked over your desk and dresser. One way out of climbing a ladder to your bed every night is to bring your bed down and use your desk and dressers as tabletops for TVs, books, etc.

Another arrangement is to L-shape unbunked beds. This is a good for roommates who are really comfortable with each other and don't mind sharing the whole room. It's a nice set up because it gives the room a more comfortable feel, makes more open space, and provides back rests for sitting in bed and reading, doing homework, or watching movies with your roommate.

Last but certainly not least, you can debunk the beds and subdivide your room for more privacy. This is how my roommate and I have our room, and we really like it because we have different starting times for classes each morning, and this way we can turn our desk lights on and get ready without waking each other. It's also nice to be able to decorate your side how you want it, and this next picture is an incredible example. With a divided room, stick-on wallpaper from Target, organization, and a matching bed set, her room looks professionally done and like a home away from home.

The Best of Everything

My best friend is a Resident Assistant at Wright, and she was lucky enough to be able to lead an academic floor of talented visual artists. One of the biggest worries anyone has in college is how they are going to find a job afterward. Luckily for her residents, a program she offered on Monday opened them up to a world of resources and guidance for careers.


The students, ranging from painters to graphic designers to photographers, were introduced to the Career Development Center and Arts and Sciences Career Services associate director, Sara Pennington-Busick, and her husband Lee Busick. Both are artists of many different mediums, and helped explain how to build and write resumes, portfolios, and the like when applying for a job in an art field.


Like any great program, free pizza, breadsticks, and drinks from Pizza X were offered, so residents were able to receive a delicous meal, helpful advice, artistic inspiration, and save meal points all in one night.

Traditions at "Tradish"

Ever since last year, my best friends from Curry 2 and my neighbors from Landes have started a tradition of eating at "Tradish," the Traditional Landes Dining Room at Read. We call this tradition "Candies Family Dinner," "Candies" meaning a combination of our pronunciation of "Landies" and "Curry."


We really are like a family. We sit in the buffet and talk over long dinners about classes, mutual friends, weekends, and the massive amounts of studying we will have to do after we leave the dining hall. If one person gets up, they will offer to refill drinks for others or grab extra napkins, or, towards the end, pick up the classic vanilla ice cream cone for dessert.



The dining room is the perfect place for us all to catch up and laugh, joke, and blow off steam with each other. Every night offers at least one awesome food choice for everyone, no matter what your tastes are like, and the desserts are always delicious, too. Every time I go there with friends, I leave feeling full and happy.