Things to Know About Bloomington
Life outside the Sample Gates
Coming in as a new student to Indiana University, it is easy to get overwhelmed with all IU offers. It is hard to imagine having time for anything else with 750+ student organizations, 80+ majors, and 380+ study abroad programs. It is also hard to imagine that there is anything outside those sample gates.
If you take a short walk to Kirkwood Avenue, you enter downtown Bloomington. Downtown is home to Bloomington nightlife. Kirkwood is lined with bars, restaurants, and apparel shops. Kirkwood is also blocked off, during the warm months, for people to walk around and sit and eat. One block over is 4th st. 4th st. is lined with international restaurants. You can get anything from Burmese food to Turkish food. Each year, we have 4th st. festival. This is a chance for people to try all of the food 4th st. has to offer.
4th St. Festival: https://www.4thstreet.org/
A short bus ride on the 6 or 9 bus will take you to the east side of Bloomington. Here we have restaurants, a movie theater, laser tag, a shopping mall, and tons of off-campus housing. The west side of Bloomington also has restaurants, a movie theater, and a lot of shopping options. In the North and Southside of Bloomington, you can find restaurants and grocery stores. These are great places to go on the weekends or after class to get your mind off of school.
If you are looking for something to do during the spring and summer, Bloomington has three lakes that you can go to with friends. At Lake Monroe, you can rent a pontoon, jet ski, paddleboard, canoe, kayaks, or other watercraft. Griffy lake offers rental options for paddleboards, canoes, kayaks, and rowboats. It is slightly smaller than Lake Monroe and more opportune for those of you looking for a quieter alternative for recreation. Lake lemon is another option that you can choose if you are just looking for a place to go for a swim or enjoy a picnic.
Lakes: https://www.visitbloomington.com/things-to-do/outdoor-and-recreation/lakes-wildlife/
Bloomington has a lot to offer if you are interested in comedy, musical theater, or anything of that nature. Just downtown, we have The Comedy Attic. That is a place where you can go to see amateur and professional comedians. On Thursdays, they offer open mic night. Anyone can sign up, and try their hand at comedy. On Friday and Saturday night, they have professional comedians such as Beth Stelling, Ron Funches, Roy Wood Jr., and so many more. Also downtown we have The Buskirk Chumley Theater. There, you can see local groups muting on plays and musical performances, as well as yearly events that are held there such as the Martin Leuther King Jr. celebration. Local to Bloomington, we have the Bloomington Playwrights Project (BPP) where local writers and directors will put on their own shows.
Comedy Attic: https://www.comedyattic.com/
Buskirk Chumley Theater: https://buskirkchumley.org/
Bloomington Playwrights Project: https://www.newplays.org/
Just know that while there is plenty to do on campus, there is also a lot to do off-campus. There is never a dull moment. If you need help navigating all there is to offer off and on campus, please stop by the IU Visitor Information Center.
