I am in great denial that I will be done with classes May 10, dressed in a cap and gown and finishing up my time as a student forever. There is so much that I have been lucky to have gotten to do at IU. Some things that I would’ve never known about have been my favorite experiences. Here are a few things you need to check out before you graduate from IU.
Sink the Biz at Nick’s English Hut
Perfect to pair with a basketball game, but given that the season has ended, this tradition works with anything. Sink the Biz is a Nick’s staple.
Here are the rules: you float the “biz” (a Bismarck glass) into a bucket filled with either beer or cider (if you are like me and my friends you choose the latter). Pour your drink of choice into the glass for three seconds. If the biz does not sink, you move onto the next person. If it does, you must drink the full glass. If you are not a drinker, try their Sink the Biz fries made to accompany the game. The fries are tossed in romano and Nick’s special spices and accompanied by garlic mayonnaise made for dipping.
Attend a screening at IU Cinema
IU Cinema was created to celebrate film. They are an arthouse cinema right in the middle of campus that uses film to not just entertain, but to make audiences fall in love with the art of filmmaking. In my time at IU, I have gotten to see my favorites on the big screen for the first time. In a world where much of my film consumption has been limited to a computer or phone screen, I got the chance to see 2000’s “American Psycho,” National Theatre Live’s “Fleabag” and the entire “Twilight” saga to name a few. As movie theaters continue to dwindle, consider supporting IU Cinema and catch a screening of something you would’ve never considered before.
Take a stroll around the Eskenazi Museum of Art
Need a break from finals studying? Taking a walk around an art museum is always a good idea. Admission is always free, and you can guide yourself around, walking at your own pace. Some of the current exhibitions include work from Claude Monet’s stepdaughter Blanche Hoschedé-Monet, an exhibition titled “Portraiture and Archives in African Photography,” and a project that documents Beirut in the 1990s through photographs. Each work is so unique and changes yearly. Before you leave, make sure to grab a cup of coffee and a pastry from the café.
Cheer on your favorite team at Little 500
Referred to correctly as the “World’s Greatest College Weekend,” if you haven’t attended the Little 500 bike races, this is your sign. Modeled after the Indianapolis 500, riders are on bikes, not cars. They compete in teams and race around a quarter mile cinder track at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The men’s race is 200 laps making up 50 miles, while the women’s race is 100 laps making up 25 miles. This is IU at its best, spirited and full of tradition. If you find yourself unable to attend, make sure to watch the 1979 film classic “Breaking Away.” Fun fact, if you look for it, you’ll notice that the iconic Sample Gates had not made their way to campus at the time of the filming.