What this student abroad in Rome misses about IU Bloomington

It was a bittersweet goodbye when I left campus in December, studying abroad in Rome for the semester and knowing I wouldn’t be back until August. Although I’m living in one of the most fascinating and historic cities in the world for 110 days, I sincerely miss B-town.

What makes it even more bittersweet is that I’ve only called IU home for three semesters, as I transferred after freshman year from a small, private school in Connecticut. As it turned out, it was the best decision of my life. Regardless, there’s still plenty I miss from my beloved Bloomington campus.

Basketball Games

What’s better than going to an Indiana basketball game at Assembly Hall? I’ll tell you — nothing. The atmosphere is absolutely incredible thanks to Hoosier nation, the best fans in the country. The best way to describe the feeling of being in Assembly Hall when Troy Williams throws down a monstrous dunk or when Yogi drains a three-pointer from downtown is the feeling you felt as a seven year old on Christmas morning seeing that Santa had come — it’s nearly indescribable.

Even though coverage of IUBB start as late at 3 AM here, I have managed to watch most games. If and when our Hoosiers make it to the Final Four, I may need to look at flights to Houston…

Walks to Class

Breathtaking, incredible, jaw dropping — all are words to describe IU’s campus. This past semester, I had 8 AM’s every day of the week — yes, even on Fridays. As brutal as it was, trust me when I say the walk to and from class made it that much more tolerable.

From the greenery and gorgeous flowers in spring, to the changing of the leaves and crisp air in the fall, to the blanket of snow in the winter, campus is never not beautiful. The ancient Rome architecture and the Trevi Fountain make for worthy substitutes of IU’s magnificent limestone buildings and our famous fountain of our own, but I unquestionably miss the ten minutes of soaking in the best campus on the planet on my way to and from class.

The Culture

Whether Greek or non-Greek, white or black, in Kelley, Jacobs or SPEA, there is one thing that everyone at IU has in common – we are all Hoosiers. The culture at IU is second to none, as it is totally acceptable to wear candy-striped pants or a KOK tank top to class no matter what time of year. Although we may disagree on things such as politics and which fraternities are considered ‘top-tier’ or not, we can all agree on two things: being a Hoosier is an absolute blessing and Little 500 is the dopest college week in America.

I’ve been in Rome for a little while now, I am fully enjoying my once in a lifetime experience. But I still occasionally find myself a little glum that I’m away from campus for eight months. I miss my friends, Z&C and everything about daily life as a Hoosier. It’s not a goodbye, it’s an “I’ll see you later” — and I will see you later, IU.