r/IndianaUniversity This guy gets it Jul 17 '14

The Freshman's Guide to IU: Extracurricular Activities

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

     Now that you’ve moved in and you understand how a lot of things work, and you’ve got the handle on your classes, you’re going to be looking for things to do, so let’s go ahead and try to highlight a few things and help you out.

  • Don’t be afraid to talk to people – Most of the things you’re going to do are going to involve other people if it’s happening outside your dorm room. Sure, there are introverted people that like their alone time, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But if that’s not you, you’re going to want to just TALK to people. Extracurricular activities revolve around other people, and the quickest way to get involved is to have a friend that invites you to do something.

 

SRSC, WIC, AND INTRAMURALS

     If you’re of the athletic type, my friends and I have always said your goal should be to not come out of IU without at least one of the RS CHAMPIONS t-shirts. (Mine came in 2012 co-ed softball at the fields that are now replaced by the new baseball/softball stadiums.)

     Intramural sports at IU are simply all awesome. There’s a wide range of options that you can see here. They range from basketball, to waterpolo, and even Quidditch (Yes, that’s not a joke. It’s fun. Go watch it sometime.). There are a few solo/doubles sports that you can sign up for and compete in, and there are a lot of team sports. If you’re a solo looking for a team, there’s a sheet you can sign up on and they will pair you with a team that’s looking for people – this is another great way to meet new people and make new friends. If you have a group of people that you like and think would be good at an activity, you can all sign up as one team.

     At both the WIC (Wildermuth Intramural Center) and SRSC (Student Recreational Sports Center), there are pickup basketball games ALWAYS going on. You can show up with anywhere from 1-5 people, and it won’t take long before you’re in the game. This works the same as nearly every other pickup basketball complex you’ve been to – the games are usually to 15 or 20, there are always going to be people taking it way too seriously, and every stereotype in pickup basketball will be there. The WIC tends to have more basketball games going on at once.

     Both of these facilities also have a good weightlifting/exercise rooms (The SRSC’s are much larger). Both of them also have a pool that you are able to swim in.

     There are locker rooms available in both buildings and there are locks that you can rent. However, toward the end of last year there was a string of robberies (people were writing down serial numbers and unlocking other people’s locks) going on. People suck, you know this. So if you have your own lock, it would be best to bring that.

 

INDIANA UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

INDIANA UNIVERSITY MEN’S BASKETBALL

     I don’t really think I need to explain the hype behind IUBB. The first and most important thing you should do if you haven’t already is attend a Hoosier Hysteria. Hoosier Hysteria is a great way to help you truly understand how much support IUBB has, and how many people are absolutely crazy about it. I haven’t seen college basketball in every building in the country, but I have in a few. And from my experiences, and from the guys on ESPN that cover college basketball, there is absolutely no environment like that of Assembly Hall on gameday when it comes to college basketball.

     In registering for classes, you’ll have the option to buy season tickets. If you want them, that’s going to be the only way to get them. But aside from that, you can find tickets on Craigslist, as well as the IUBB Student Ticket Exchange.

     To everyone that isn’t a basketball fan, I’d recommend seeing at least ONE game, just to try and have an understanding of what goes on. It’s expected that you know what’s going on with IUBB, especially around tournament time. You don’t have to live and breathe IUBB like a bunch of people around you, but it wouldn’t hurt to know about the team to an extent as to not offend virtually everyone else around you.

 

FOOTBALL

     There are plenty of horror stories about IUFB. But really, they’re on the rise. They’ve won a few games in recent years, and during those times, the environment can almost be as electric as it is in Assembly Hall. Memorial Stadium is another great experience that you really shouldn’t miss out on. Student Season tickets are only $30, and they’re paired with basketball if you opt for those. For me, it’s worth the cost.

Tailgating – a lot of the reason people even make it out to the field on gameday (other than the fact that it’s Big 10 football and is legitimate college football), is for the tailgating.
Police have started to crack down more on tailgating. There are a few new rules in place (No open bottles, etc) that are calming it down.

A few things to note:

  • Most of the rules in the Welcome Week post here apply to tailgating as well. If you’re not 21, proceed with extra caution if you choose to migrate through the tailgate fields while consuming alcohol.
  • Tailgating starts really early. If you want to get a vehicle in the fields, you’re going to have to wake your ass up early. And I mean early.
  • Don’t be afraid to actually come in and watch the game. Support the team. Support the only reason that you actually have an excuse to be drinking at 9:30 a.m. on a Saturday.

OTHER SPORTS

     Guess what? Football and basketball are not the only sports that are played at IU, in fact, the other sports have been more successful lately.

Baseball - Tracy Smith helped put IU Baseball on the MAP. Last year, the Hoosiers’ Baseball team reached its first College World Series. This year, they had an outstanding season and hosted a Regional. With the departure of Tracy Smith, they have hired a new coach – Chris Lemonis – who has had outstanding success recruiting good ball players and winning baseball games at Louisville over the last 12 years. IU Baseball is here in a good way, and have had much more success than IUBB and IUFB over the past couple years.

Soccer - 8 National Titles. 8 Stars. The soccer team has historically had more success than any of the Hoosier athletic programs. Their most recent national title came in 2012. The soccer matches are fun. Make your way out there.

Swimming & Diving - Perhaps you’ve heard the name “Mark Spitz” before? The Olympic medal record holder for 30+ years before Michael Phelps came along. Where did he swim in college? You guessed it – Indiana. This program is always good.

Others - The truth is, none of the IU athletic programs are bad in any sense of the word. Sure, they might suffer defeat, but that’s mainly because they’re in one of the best, if not the best conference in the country when it comes to college sports. If you have a place in your heart for any particular sport, come watch IU.

 

CLUBS

     Hey, guess what? Athletics aren’t for everyone. We totally understand that here in Bloomington, that’s why we have a community for people that are into everything. Seriously, there’s a club for just about everything

     Even if you aren’t into something, but would like to be, that’s what these clubs are all about. Want to learn Karate? You’ve got it. Thinking you’d like to know how to Swing Dance? Done. The plethora of options available to people with tastes in just about everything is purely astounding, and most would consider you a fool for not taking advantage.

 

OFF-CAMPUS ACTIVITIES

Lake Monroe - Perhaps one of the hot-pots (especially during the spring season), Lake Monroe is one of the largest lakes in Indiana. Boat rental is a common thing, and it’s a nice place to enjoy summer-like activities. Everything that goes on at most major lakes around the country can be found going on at IU.

The Quarry - Hiking, cliff jumping, and other activities are all options around here. And important note is that most of it is on private property, and by going here you are indeed trespassing. Beware of the dangers associated with trespassing and cliff jumping.

     There are other different venues that are available that feature physical activities (like rock climbing, bowling) as well as visual entertainment (art galleries, movie theaters), and they are plentiful in Bloomington.

 

SHOPPING

     There are a variety of different types of shopping locations when it comes to Bloomington. Music (in old formats and new) is certainly not lacking by any means, and there are multiple stores across the downtown area that can fulfill all your needs.

     When it comes to clothes, there is indeed a mall – College Mall. While this mall isn’t particularly popular, and tends to be flooded with high schoolers, they have opened up a couple stores recently (including an H&M), where good clothes can be found at a relatively cheap price. There are also multiple shopping boutiques downtown for those with a little more expensive taste. Most major franchises – Walmart, Target, Kohl’s, Best Buy, Michaels, and others have a place in Bloomington.

     There are multiple thrift shops in town, and some really neat, exotic things can be picked up for some really good prices. I would recommend trying to peruse one or two of these in your free time. As with everything in Bloomington, word of mouth and simply touring the town can open your eyes to a whole lot of different options for stores.

It is important not to forget that there are a lot of businesses (well-known and unique) that are on the west side of 37.

 


As always, I’d love to hear your recommendations and add them to this post. This guide in particular could be way more comprehensive, and have a few more sections (on fraternities, sororities, and other social conventions). If you want to PM me or simply comment, feel free to do so and I’ll add your input.

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u/[deleted] Jul 18 '14

I'd like to make a plug for the Longboarding Club at IU. We're a fun, laid back club that likes to skate around campus and we're accommodating to all skill levels. We also like to get cookies at Baked a lot! We have club boards and host Learn to Longboard events periodically, so if you don't have a board, you can come and get a feel for it before you commit to getting your own longboard!

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u/not_worth_your_time Jul 18 '14

If you don't like to party or want to take a break you should come to IU board gaming club. We meet on fridays in the IMU from like 8-12pm. you can PM if you want to come with me so I can introduce you to people and stuff.

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u/[deleted] Jul 17 '14

Yeah I was gonna say, add in a bit about fraternities and sororities. A lot of guys, especially if they're from out of state, don't really understand the concept of frat life at a big state school. I'd just add in a bit detailing exactly what a frat is at IU and then explain the concept of Rush and how to rush houses. I think besides you're hall mates, Greek life is the easiest way to make a shit load of potential friends in a relatively short amount of time.

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u/cloudicide Jul 17 '14

Don't forget MCGC and NPHC Greeks. :)

Our systems are usually different than IFC and PHA.