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.